central bank digital currencies
Responsible Implementation (or rejection) of CBDCs
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I am a Post-Doctoral Fellow at McMaster University's Digital Society Lab. My work examines CBDC governance, privacy frameworks, and public engagement strategies. Through publications spanning academic journals, policy papers, and major media outlets, I bridge theoretical insights with practical recommendations for the responsible development and implementation of digital technologies and their governing policies.
Forthcoming CBDC Academic Publications
Expected 3/25. (with colleagues). Rethinking Public Engagement: A Replication Study of the Bank of Canada’s Digital Canadian Dollar Public Consultation.
Expected 5/25. The CBDC Governance Challenge.
Expected 5/25. (with colleagues). Unpacking public attitudes about CBDCs.
CBDC Expert Publication
2025. Unified Standards in Responsible CBDC and Stablecoin Development and Implementation. The Digital Currency Journal, January 2025.
CBDC Policy Working Papers (for the Centre for International Governance Innovation's Digital Policy Hub)
2024. From Central Banks to Governments and Standards: CBDC Governance in Canada.
2024. Focusing on Users: Lessons for Canada’s CBDC from the Digital Euro and Digital Pound.
2024. CBDC Governance: Programmability, Privacy and Policies.
CBDC Public Engagement (partial list)
2024. (with a colleague). Bank of Canada put pause on a digital Canadian dollar, but now it needs to talk about it. Toronto Star, November 2.
2024. (with colleagues). Is a Central Bank Digital Currency really so loonie? Globe and Mail, September 12.
2024. [60 seconds video] What is Central Bank Digital Currency? McMaster University’s Communications Team.
2023. The Bank of Canada must address the sky-high distrust around its digital currency. The Globe and Mail, December 11. (Republished by CIGI)
2023. As the Bank of Canada Prepares for a Digital Canadian Dollar, Democratic Concerns Loom Large. The Conversation, June 22.
2023. [TV interview 4 minutes video]. Bank of Canada asks Public about Digital Currency. CTV News. May 26.
2023. The Democratic Aspect of the Israeli Digital Shekel. Calcalist, May 19. [Hebrew]
2023. The Bank of Canada is Exploring a Digital Currency. Toronto Star, May 16.
2022. Central Bank Digital Currencies Could Mean the End of Democracy. The Conversation (Republished by The National Post), August 1st.
2021. The New Digital Shekel: Will We Give Up Privacy in the Name of Progress? Globes, August 22. [Hebrew]
CBDC Events
2023. [Organizer] Perspectives on a Canadian Digital Dollar. Master of Public Policy, November.
2023. [Guest] The Israeli Bitcoin Association's Podcast, a.k.a. "The Bitcoin People", July. [Hebrew, Voice]
2023. [Presenter] Privacy & Access Council of Canada's Privacy & Data Governance Conference in Ottawa, "New Money, New Data".
2023. [Presenter] The Israeli CBDC Forum. [Hebrew, Video]. January.
2022. [Panel Chair]. Cryptocurrencies and CBDC, Transatlantic Blockchain Law, The City University of New York. October.
CBDC Policy Response
2023. (with the Israeli Democracy Institute). Bank of Israel’s Digital Shekel Forum – Response to Questions. [Hebrew]
Ori Freiman - Standards and Governance.pdfOri Freiman - CBDC Governance.pdfOri Freiman - Focusing on Users.pdf
Perspectives on a Canadian Digital Dollar.pdfCBDC Expert Explainer.mp4Israeli CBDC Forum webinar, together with the most esteemed professionals, including CBDC project manager at the Bank of Israel.
I argued that while the Bank of Israel is doing an excellent job regarding international collaboration, researching economic models, experimenting with technologies, and so forth - they have no ability or authority to research and deal with the potential democratic consequences of implementing Retail CBDC. So far, the Bank of Israel has been a pioneer and has led this project alone. It is crucial that others will now join.
If the Digital Shekel project goes on, and we wish to implement it responsibly, we must fully acknowledge that it is not only a technological issue but also a political one; re-think existing checks and balances throughout all state systems, and mitigate structural risks to democracy; draw clear red lines of what will be possible, by who, and what not; ensure the central bank's independence is kept in this new terrain; constantly involve democratic values, such as maintaining financial privacy and serving the prosperity of all, in all design and implementation stages; be more inclusive by going beyond the banking and tech sectors - to civil society organizations, academia, mainstream media, and especially citizens.
My presentation is at 53:20 [Hebrew]
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