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La Banque de la République d'Haiti is considering a pilot to create a digital version of the Haitian Gourde, aiming to improve the domestic payments system and promote financial inclusion in Haiti.

[December 10, 2024] The Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) conveyed to IMF staff, in the context of its 2024 Article IV consultation, that it does not plan to immediately implement central bank digital currency (CBDC). However, it stressed the importance of having put a placeholder in the central bank framework, in anticipation of future implementation. IMF staff argued that devoting time and resources to considering a digital money is premature at this stage, given other pending priorities and indicated that if the BRH decides to proceed it should consider all aspects of the project's desirability and feasibility, including a robust evaluation of costs and risks, before proceeding.

Bitkòb is the name of the prospective central bank digital currency (CBDC) of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti, which was unveiled on March 26, 2021.

According to a 2014 survey of Latin American countries, 80% of Haitians din't have a bank account. However, mobile phone ownership in Haiti has increased rapidly in the past decade, culminating in just under 60% of its citizens owning cell phones. Thanks to mobile money apps that can be accessed with a phone, many bankless Haitians have become more financially stable.

The Banque de la République d'Haïti has requested technical assistance from the IMF to help address the risks associated with CBDC deployment. Support has been received from specialized foreign firms and collaboration has been initiated with countries that have already launched a CBDC, particularly in the Caribbean.