Share this article

BOE's Bailey, Western Union CEO Part of Davos Panel on Digital Currencies

The session will focus on the diminishing role of cash and the emergence of central bank digital currencies, moves accelerated by the pandemic.

Updated Sep 14, 2021, 11:00 a.m. Published Jan 24, 2021, 9:02 p.m.
Bank of England Chief Andrew Bailey
Bank of England Chief Andrew Bailey

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and Western Union CEO Hikmet Ersek will be part of a World Economic Forum (WEF) panel discussion entitled “Resetting Digital Currencies” set for Jan. 25, the first day of the virtual Davos summit.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters

  • The session will focus on the diminishing role of cash and the emergence of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), moves accelerated by the pandemic.
  • The other panelists are Sheila Warren, head of Blockchain and Data Policy at the WEF; BTC Africa S.A. CEO Elizabeth Rossiello; and North Island Ventures CEO Glenn H. Hutchins.
  • On Thursday, a second "Resetting Digital Currencies" panel discussion will be held. That one will feature Michael Casey, chief content officer for CoinDesk (this news organization); Tharman Shanmugaratnam, senior minister, Government of Singapore; Sara Pantuliano, chief executive, Overseas Development Institute; and Zhu Min, National Institute of Financial Research.

Read more: Notes From the WEF: Cash Is Dead, Long Live Digital Cash

More For You

State of the Blockchain 2025

State of the Blockchain 16:9

L1 tokens broadly underperformed in 2025 despite a backdrop of regulatory and institutional wins. Explore the key trends defining ten major blockchains below.

What to know:

2025 was defined by a stark divergence: structural progress collided with stagnant price action. Institutional milestones were reached and TVL increased across most major ecosystems, yet the majority of large-cap Layer-1 tokens finished the year with negative or flat returns.

This report analyzes the structural decoupling between network usage and token performance. We examine 10 major blockchain ecosystems, exploring protocol versus application revenues, key ecosystem narratives, mechanics driving institutional adoption, and the trends to watch as we head into 2026.

More For You

Bitcoin slips, crypto stocks suffer steep declines, as tax-loss selling drives action, analysts say

(CoinDesk)

Digital asset treasury companies — the year's worst performers — were also hardest hit on Tuesday.

What to know:

  • Bitcoin was lower by a bit more than 1% to just below $88,000 on Tuesday.
  • Crypto-related stocks were suffering far larger declines.
  • Analysts suggest tax-loss harvesting and low liquidity are contributing to the action in crypto markets as the year ends.
  • Some analysts remain cautiously optimistic about a potential rally, though significant recovery is not expected until liquidity returns in January.