Digital Yuan App Drops ‘Pilot’ Description, Hints at Change to Production Ready Status

The digital yuan app, which services users of the Chinese CBDC, has dropped the ‘pilot’ label from its name without any announcement, prompting speculation about an upcoming move to production stages. While local Chinese news outlets explained that this change had to do with app requirements, some expect this might be a step before its generalized implementation.

Chinese Digital Yuan Drop Pilot Description From App, Prompts Speculation About General Availability

China might be preparing to launch its central bank digital currency (CBDC) at a national level. According to Chinese news outlets’ reports, China’s digital yuan app, which services users of the Chinese CBDC, has recently dropped the “pilot” label from its name, prompting speculation about the project’s future.

Authorities explained that the name change was related to the requirements described by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in the “Notice on the Registration of Mobile Internet Applications” on July 21, 2023. This notice requires all app names to be filed the same way as the name displayed on the mobile phone desktop and the app name in the app store.

However, this explanation has been unsatisfying for some, given that the ‘pilot’ word could also be filed and shown in app marketplaces like before. Several news desks have speculated that this move might precede the digital yuan status change to production phases, anticipating a generalized rollout in mainland China.

The pilot, launched in 2020, has made several moves toward introducing the CBDC as a viable option for payments in the country, implementing its usage to pay for public transportation fares and even for paying wages in some instances. China also debuted the digital yuan as a commodities exchange currency to settle oil payments.

However, increasing adoption has been difficult for the pilot, given the strong position of incumbent payment apps like Alipay and Wechat. A mainland launch might make it easier for the digital yuan to gain mass adoption, given the legal tender status the government would give the digital currency.

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