The cryptosphere is invading most sectors of the global economy, primarily financial. Virtual money is being developed in a number of countries. China has become the leader in this issue, where the crypto yuan is being tested. At the moment, China's digital money is looking for ways to compete with American ones.
Currently, China's virtual currency, known as the digital yuan (e-CYN or e-yuan), is under development. The electronic means of payment is issued by the People's Bank of China (PBC). Now the digital version of China's fiat currency is being tested in 20 cities of the country. This year, China's electronic money became available for use by foreigners for the first time.
The development of the innovative currency of the People's Republic of China did not attract much attention, because "it was in the shadow of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict," said Kyle Bass, manager of the hedge fund Hayman Capital Management. According to the analyst, the release and introduction of crypto yuan is "the biggest threat to the West over the past 50 years." Bass urges markets not to ignore this fact, but, if possible, to create a similar financial instrument capable of reflecting the negative impact of e-CYN.
According to the investor, the full-fledged introduction of Chinese digital money outside the country will lead to the collapse of the world economy. In such a situation, Beijing will be able to attract certain groups of foreigners and convince them to use e-CYN. These include citizens who are experiencing financial difficulties and are prone to corruption. "This gives China the opportunity to bribe everyone and everyone in the world who succumbs to corruption. Such a development threatens national security and leads to digital authoritarianism," says Bass.
The current situation worries American lawmakers who are developing regulatory documents limiting the influence of the digital yuan. In May 2021, members of the American Congress introduced the "Law on Dollars of the XXI century". According to this document, the US Treasury Department should include in the report to Congress any risks to the USD associated with the digital yuan.
This year, this issue has not lost its relevance. In March 2022, Senator Marsha Blackburn and representatives of the Republican Party introduced the "Say No to the Silk Road" law. If it is adopted, the US Department of Commerce will need to report on all transactions with the electronic yuan. The bill also provides for notifying citizens traveling to China "about the dangers of the digital yuan."
The US authorities are concerned about the potential competition of e-yuan with the digital dollar. Against this background, the role of innovative developments of virtual currency has grown dramatically. According to the Atlantic Council think tank, more than 80 countries, including the United States, are planning to issue state-controlled digital assets (CBDC). Earlier, US President Joe Biden stated the exceptional importance of research and development in the field of CBDC. The release of innovative means of payment "meets the national interests," the head of the White House stressed.
According to Bass, the goal of China's global deployment of the electronic yuan is to reduce dependence on the US currency. "The majority of global transactions (87%) carried out by China are conducted in dollars," the investor notes. Against this background, the Chinese authorities have set a course for de-dollarization. One of the ways to overcome it is the introduction of a digital means of payment. Another variant of the anti–dollar strategy is the use of China's fiat currency in trade settlements with some countries, in particular with Russia. Such actions cause serious damage to the USD hegemony, experts believe. However, the full triumph of digital e-CYN is still far away, although the first steps in this direction have already been taken.
