Full Steam Ahead for Banknote & Currency Conference in February

Flights have been booked, hotel reservations have been made and final preparations are being made so that, after two years apart, Currency Research can bring the majority of the industry back together for some long-overdue discussions, professional networking, and a lively exchange of information and views. The Banknote & Currency Conference, which takes place 21-24 February in Washington DC is, say the organisers, happening!

At the six weeks prior to the event mark, Currency Research gave a general update to attendees, noting that the overall level attendance at that stage was higher than the same stage prior to the previous Currency Conference (2019) and only marginally behind the previous Banknote Conference (2018), with particularly strong numbers of central banks and printworks.

‘The Banknote & Currency Conference is a unique, one-time-only experience with our combined global event that raises important policy, strategy, and technology issues by leaders in the banknote business’, said Shaun Ferrari, Conference Co-Chair. ‘Combining these two leading, industry conferences for this one time allows the entire currency supply, issuance, and distribution chains to come together for a unique networking and educational event.

The event kicks off with a series of pre-seminar events on Monday, 21 February: 

• IACA Member Meeting – Future of the Cash Cycle: The Impact of External Factors & Policy Considerations 

• Polymer Users Summit

• State Print Works Summit

• Workshop on Circulating Coin – Intrinsic, Essential, Sustainable.

The main topics of the plenary sessions, from 22-24 February, include: 

• Developments in issuance and production

• Currency and coin developments in the cash cycle

• Tour of the World’s New Banknotes & IACA Awards

• Cash Tech

• Perception studies

• Global efforts on counterfeit deterrence and cybercrime prevention

• Reducing the ecological footprint of banknotes and coins

• Access to cash, payments and financial inclusion

• From physical to digital: the roles of cash and CBDCs.

Closing off the conference is the Networking & Awards Dinner on 24 February, held jointly with attendees of the Inaugural Digital Currency Conference taking place the following day.

The themes of this one-day event include:

• Quantum computing - risks and opportunities

• The Digital Currency Trifecta: privacy, risk, and security

• Importance of digital innovation

• Project Nexus: cross-border interoperability

• Interoperability in a global economy

• China and CBDC

• Interaction between the technical design and CBDC ecosystem implications 

• Technical approach and design of a CBDC

• Big Tech and digital currencies

• Access to digital payments: the new digital divide.

Between presentation sessions attendees can enjoy connecting and networking with over 30 of the industry’s suppliers in the Exhibition Hall, where discussions and connections can continue into the evenings with hosted drinks receptions.

According to Shaun, ‘we are delighted to see so many central banks who have never been to Currency Research events before joining us, this is certain to be a valuable and memorable conference and only four weeks to go! We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to Washington DC for the 2022 Banknote & Currency Conference.’

 More information can be found at the Banknote & Currency Conference and Digital Currency Conference websites.