Saturday, December 27, 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

Ask for help with COVID-19, PM urges provinces

Ask for help with COVID-19, PM urges provinces
Tam reported that as of Monday evening, there were close to 40,000 active cases of COVID-19 across Canada, up from 33,000 just four days before.

Ask for help with COVID-19, PM urges provinces

Another giant, invasive hornet found in B.C.

Another giant, invasive hornet found in B.C.
The first nest to be discovered in the United States was also destroyed last month near Blaine, Wash., not far from the border with B.C.

Another giant, invasive hornet found in B.C.

Toronto to extend ban on indoor restaurant dining

Toronto to extend ban on indoor restaurant dining
The city's top doctor, Eileen de Villa, said the restrictions -- which also include a continued shutdown of casinos, bingo halls and event spaces -- will remain in place for another 28 days after they were to expire on Saturday.

Toronto to extend ban on indoor restaurant dining

Singh says Ottawa must move to counter hate groups

Singh says Ottawa must move to counter hate groups
Fatal attacks, including at a Toronto mosque in September and the Quebec City mosque shooting in 2017, make demands for a federal response all the more urgent, Singh said.

Singh says Ottawa must move to counter hate groups

Trump 'taking names' on Biden congrats: expert

Trump 'taking names' on Biden congrats: expert
While that might be setting Trudeau and Canada up for some retaliatory pain from Donald Trump, analysts are divided on how much misery even a very vindictive lame-duck president could inflict on his closest neighbour.

Trump 'taking names' on Biden congrats: expert

Lottery chief claims police inaction on bad money

Lottery chief claims police inaction on bad money
Daryl Tottenham told B.C.'s inquiry into money laundering that he provided information to several law enforcement agencies about large amounts of suspicious cash circulating at casinos but he saw little response.

Lottery chief claims police inaction on bad money