The rise of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) has presented opportunities in the financial system and the expanding digital economy. Beyond the financial market, a key question is how a CBDC will help to accelerate the growth of the digital economy. Professor Yiping Huang (Peking University) will share his views on the development of CBDC and the digital economy in China. With scores of central banks in emerging markets actively working on CBDC initiatives, a critical discourse on the precise nature of the CBDC design arises. Will CBDC help overcome the policy challenges of the emerging market central banks? Dr Ammu George (ACI) will present ACI’s recent research evaluating the prospects of a domestic interest-bearing CBDC in an economy with international trade and capital flows. Our panelists will further discuss the nexus between CBDC and the digital economy in Asian emerging markets.