Countries closing in on digital currencies but US lagging, study shows

A total of 134 countries representing 98% of the global economy are now exploring digital versions of their currencies, with over half in advanced development, pilot or launch stages, a closely-followed study on Thursday showed. The research by the U.S.-based Atlantic Council think tank highlighted that all G20 countries with the exception of Argentina are now in one of those far-along phases although, notably, the United States is falling increasingly behind. While still inching forward on a banks only "wholesale" digital dollar, one for the wider U.S. population now looked "stalled" the report said, with Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell saying this month, "nothing like that is remotely close to happening".