Australia’s Economic Growth Slows in Q3 Despite Strong Investment Activity 
South Korea Posts Stronger-Than-Expected 1.3% Economic Growth in Q3 
UK Raises Deposit Protection Limit to £120,000 to Strengthen Saver Confidence 
Indonesia Aims to Strengthen Rupiah as Central Bank Targets 16,400–16,500 Level 
Bank of Korea Holds Interest Rates Steady as Weak Won Limits Policy Flexibility 
U.S. Futures Steady as Rate-Cut Bets Rise on Soft Labor Data 
Dollar Slides to Five-Week Low as Asian Stocks Struggle and Markets Bet on Fed Rate Cut 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low 
RBA Signals Possible Rate Implications as Inflation Proves More Persistent 
BOJ Seen Moving Toward December Rate Hike as Yen Slides 
FOMC Minutes Expected to Reveal Deep Policy Divide as Markets Eye December Rate Cut 
BOJ Signals Possible December Rate Hike as Yen Weakness Raises Inflation Risks 
Asian Markets Stabilize as Wall Street Rebounds and Rate Concerns Ease 
Australia’s central bank is pushing ahead with its wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) initiative, launching real-asset trials through its latest program, Project Acacia. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced on Thursday that it will conduct 19 pilot cases involving actual money and financial assets, along with five proof-of-concept simulations.
The project marks a significant milestone, moving beyond previous theoretical frameworks to test CBDCs, stablecoins, and bank deposit tokens in real financial environments. These tests will cover a variety of asset classes, including fixed income, private markets, carbon credits, and trade receivables.
Project Acacia features collaboration with major blockchain and distributed ledger platforms, including Hedera, Redbelly, R3 Corda, and Canvas Connect. The six-month trial phase will lead to a comprehensive report expected in the first half of 2026.
RBA Assistant Governor Brad Jones stated the initiative will offer critical insights into how central bank and private digital currencies, when integrated with modern payment infrastructure, could enhance the efficiency of Australia’s wholesale financial markets.
The RBA emphasized its focus on wholesale applications, ruling out the need for a retail CBDC. Instead, the central bank sees potential benefits such as reduced counterparty risk, improved auditability, freed-up collateral, and lower costs for financial institutions and customers.
The RBA’s pilot aims to explore how digital innovations can improve settlement processes and financial market transparency, reinforcing Australia's position in the evolving global digital finance landscape. As central banks worldwide explore similar paths, Australia’s wholesale CBDC trials could offer a blueprint for broader adoption.
