# Cato Experts Reacts to CDBC Statement from Jay Powell 

For far too long, the Federal Reserve has maintained a legal gray area around the possibility of a U.S. central bank digital currency, or CBDC.

February 11, 2025 • News Releases 

Cato Institute Policy Analyst [Nicholas Anthony](https://www.cato.org/people/nicholas-anthony) is available for interviews in light of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s statement today that he would never issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC) so long as he is the chair.

Anthony issued the following statement in reaction:

> For far too long, the Federal Reserve has maintained a legal gray area around the possibility of a U.S. central bank digital currency, or CBDC. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s commitment to never issue a CBDC is a welcome change of pace. CBDCs present risks to financial freedom, privacy, and markets. More central banks should follow Chair Powell’s lead.

Anthony has written extensively on the issue of CBDCs, including a book, [“Digital Currency or Digital Control? Decoding CBDC and the Future of Money.”](https://www.cato.org/books/digital-currency-or-digital-control)

If you would like to speak with Anthony on this issue, please contact [pr@​cato.​org](mailto:pr@cato.org) to set up an interview.

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