CBDC Transaction Volume to Reach 7.8 Billion by 2031

By 2031, the number of global payments made using CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies) will reach 7.8 billion, up from 307.1 million in 2024, according to Juniper Research. This remarkable 2,430% growth will be driven by central banks seeking to safeguard monetary sovereignty in the face of card-network dominance and growing stablecoin popularity.

Collaborative projects such as mBridge and Project Icebreaker, which seek to connect national CBDCs, will leave nations less reliant on established payment rails. The research forecasts that, through the use of CBDCs and stablecoins, cross-border payments will save $45 billion by 2031.

Remittance senders and global businesses are currently burdened by high fees and limited visibility. CBDCs and stablecoins streamline transfers by bypassing costly intermediaries, enabling direct transactions on decentralized or central bank-controlled networks.

“Emerging payment technologies, like CBDCs and stablecoins, will streamline international payments. These innovative technologies will help grow the digital economy and increase global financial inclusion by reducing the reliance on the US dollar for international settlements,” commented research author Lorien Carter.

To fully unlock cross-border growth, the study emphasizes that interoperability between different CBDCs is essential. CBDC vendors must participate in projects pioneered by global organizations such as BIS, allowing them to test their infrastructure and contribute to the design of multilateral interoperability standards. Without this collaboration, the CBDC ecosystem risks fragmentation, resulting in ‘digital islands’ that fail to realize the efficiency of cross-border payments.