Monday, December 22, 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

Doctors say test hospital patients for COVID-19

Doctors say test hospital patients for COVID-19
Testing began in mid-November over three weeks for surgical patients and four weeks for patients who had been in emergency rooms.

Doctors say test hospital patients for COVID-19

B.C. care home declared outbreak too late: family

B.C. care home declared outbreak too late: family
Bains said that while she didn't know if the other woman had the virus, it alarmed her that residents were able to wander between rooms without staff immediately noticing.

B.C. care home declared outbreak too late: family

Second vaccine dose can be delayed briefly: panel

Second vaccine dose can be delayed briefly: panel
The two COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in Canada both require two doses, with Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine label requiring two doses given 21 days apart, and Moderna's needing two doses 28 days apart.

Second vaccine dose can be delayed briefly: panel

Latest B.C. storm cuts power to thousands

Latest B.C. storm cuts power to thousands
Environment Canada says wind gusts topped 100 km/h in Victoria and the eastern Fraser Valley at the height of the storm early Wednesday.

Latest B.C. storm cuts power to thousands

Charge laid in Chilliwack, B.C., death

Charge laid in Chilliwack, B.C., death
A 42-year-old suspect was arrested shortly after the assault, and RCMP said the isolated incident did not pose a risk to the public.

Charge laid in Chilliwack, B.C., death

Man injured by police in early morning shooting

Man injured by police in early morning shooting
Chilliwack Mounties say they responded to a call where a man allegedly threatened and injured a woman before she was able to escape a home.

Man injured by police in early morning shooting