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Hybrid CBDCs

Hybrid CBDCs support both retail and wholesale use cases with differentiated access models and technical implementations for each use case.

1CBDC

Key Use Cases

  • Retail payments (public access)
  • Wholesale settlement (institutional)
  • Cross-border corridors
  • Programmable payments
  • Tokenized asset markets

Comparison: Retail vs Wholesale

Comparison of Retail versus Wholesale CBDC features, target users, and use cases
FeatureRetail CBDCWholesale CBDC
Target UsersGeneral public, consumers, businessesFinancial institutions, banks
Transaction SizeSmall to medium (retail payments)Large value (interbank settlements)
AccessUniversal public accessRestricted to authorized institutions
Primary GoalCash digitization, financial inclusionSettlement efficiency, risk reduction
ExamplesChina e-CNY, EU Digital EuroAustralia eAUD (pilot)