Blockchain company Ripple has released a comprehensive white paper on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), providing insights into their potential benefits, associated risks, and adoption challenges. The document reveals that 130 countries, representing 98% of the global GDP, are actively exploring or pursuing CBDC initiatives. Nineteen G20 countries are in advanced project stages, with several nations, including the United States, South Africa, and various EU members, in exploratory phases. The white paper emphasizes the growing momentum of CBDC projects worldwide, with 85% of global finance leaders anticipating their country launching a digital currency within the next four years. The majority of leaders identified financial inclusion as a significant benefit of CBDCs. (Source: Bitcoinist.com)