CBDC Israel Unveils Digital Shekel Design

Israel Unveils Preliminary Design for Digital Shekel

• On March 3, 2025, Israel’s Bank Steering Committee released a preliminary design for the digital shekel (DS).
• The digital shekel aims to serve both retail and wholesale transactions.
• The CBDC will be interoperable with other payment systems, offering offline functionality.
• 134 countries are exploring centralized digital currencies, up from 35 in May 2020.
• The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Nigeria have fully launched their CBDCs.

Israel has introduced a preliminary design for its digital shekel, focusing on interoperability and dual-purpose use. This move aligns with the global trend of central banks exploring digital currencies, as seen in the increase from 35 to 134 countries since May 2020.