#interest

The U.S. Federal Reserve's instant payment system, FedNow, has highlighted Dropp, a micropayments platform built on Hedera Hashgraph, in its Service Provider Showcase. This section connects financial institutions with providers that can assist in implementing instant payment products using FedNow. Dropp offers a digital solution for merchants to accept payments at reduced costs, leveraging DLT and banking tech. While this suggests the Federal Reserve's growing interest in DLTs, FedNow clarifies that the showcase is merely for convenience and doesn't imply endorsement.

Their economists anticipate a reduction in interest rates by late June next year, following a gradual quarterly decrease pattern. “The cuts in our forecast are driven by the desire to normalize the funds rate from a restrictive level once inflation is closer to the target,” says Jan Hatzius, a senior economist at Goldman. Goldman forecasts rate cuts in Q2 2024, expecting 25 basis point reductions per quarter with pace uncertainties. “We expect the funds rate to eventually stabilize at 3-3.25%,” say their economists.

Private banks in South Korea, Hana Bank and Woori Bank, have taken a keen interest in tokenized deposits, commonly known as Deposit Certificates or CDs. CDs offer an alternative rooted in blockchain technology, serving as an equivalent to private stablecoins and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Presently, it's being viewed as a potential substitute for customary notes and deposits without disrupting the existing banking system.