Sunday, December 21, 2025
ADVT 
National

Feds uneasy with Facebook cryptocurrency: Document

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Mar, 2021 05:58 PM
  • Feds uneasy with Facebook cryptocurrency: Document

Internal Finance Department documents show officials have deep concerns about the effect of Facebook's planned digital currency on Canada's financial stability.

Officials wrote in the briefing note last summer that they believed the company had yet to address multiple concerns and risks its digital currency posed to the financial system.

The July briefing note, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, also says the government was working on options to ease the risks.

Officials appeared less concerned about rivals like Bitcoin, which the briefing note says has not played a large role in everyday transactions in Canada for various reasons.

Unlike Bitcoin, Facebook's offering would be a "stablecoin" whose value would be less volatile, and could be easily used by hundreds of millions of the social media giant's users upon release.

The ease of use and stability of value are among the reasons governments and central banks like the Bank of Canada have taken a keen interest in the currency.

MORE National ARTICLES

Help identify suspect linked to four separate robberies: Surrey RCMP

Help identify suspect linked to four separate robberies: Surrey RCMP
The Surrey RCMP Robbery Unit has taken conduct of what appears to be a string of robberies with similar circumstances that took place on January 18, 19, 23, and 27, 2021.

Help identify suspect linked to four separate robberies: Surrey RCMP

Vancouver Police appeals for information in Downtown EastSide sexual assault

Vancouver Police appeals for information in Downtown EastSide sexual assault
Police are asking witnesses or people with information about the assault to contact investigators.

Vancouver Police appeals for information in Downtown EastSide sexual assault

Trudeau highlights risk of COVID-19 variants

Trudeau highlights risk of COVID-19 variants
The move is one of several measures meant to choke off entry of the virus into Canada, but comes after case numbers of more transmissible variants have begun to rise.

Trudeau highlights risk of COVID-19 variants

Novavax could produce COVID-19 vaccine in Canada

Novavax could produce COVID-19 vaccine in Canada
"This is a major step forward to get vaccines made in Canada, for Canadians," Trudeau said.

Novavax could produce COVID-19 vaccine in Canada

Poll finds widespread support for new travel rules

Poll finds widespread support for new travel rules
The urge for tougher travel rules comes as Canadians find their mental health on the wane, with just 29 per cent of survey respondents rating it as very good or excellent, the lowest since the pandemic began.

Poll finds widespread support for new travel rules

Canadian groundhogs call for early spring

Canadian groundhogs call for early spring
At exactly 8 a.m. local time, the door to Sam's enclosure was opened, but the pudgy rodent refused to come out at first.

Canadian groundhogs call for early spring