The National Bank of Ukraine is preparing a pilot project of the e-hryvnia, which will be carried out with real users and payment service providers.
As stated by the bank’s deputy head, Oleksiy Shaban, the project participants will have the opportunity to test the e-hryvnia ( CBDC ) in various types of transactions, including P2P transfers, payment for goods and services, budget payments, donations and receiving salaries.
According to the official, the project will help determine whether the e-hryvnia is capable of performing the functions of money, whether it will satisfy the needs of users, and whether its programmability is effective.
After testing is completed, the bank will decide whether to launch a large-scale issue of the national currency or not. The deputy head of the National Bank of Ukraine emphasized that if the project is approved, the digital form of the national currency will complement cash and electronic funds, but will not replace them.
He added that the National Bank will not own or have access to any personal information about users. It will act solely as an operator of the e-hryvnia platform, ensuring its continuous and secure operation, and will ensure confidentiality when using it. It should be noted that the official did not name the launch date of the e-hryvnia pilot project.
