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Central Bank Money: Liability, Asset, or Equity of the Nation?
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Central Bank Money: Liability, Asset, or Equity of the Nation?

Author

Listed:
  • Kumhof, Michael
  • Allen, Jason
  • Bateman, Will
  • Lastra, Rosa
  • Gleeson, Simon
  • Omarova, Saule

Abstract

Based on legal arguments, we advocate a conceptual and normative shift in our understanding of the economic character of central bank money (CBM). The widespread treatment of CBM as a central bank liability goes back to the gold standard, and uses analogies with commercial bank balance sheets. However, CBM is sui generis and legally not comparable to commercial bank money. Furthermore, in modern economies, CBM holders cannot demand repayment of CBM in anything other than CBM. CBM is not an asset of central banks either, and it is not central bank shareholder equity because it does not confer the same ownership rights as regular shareholder equity. Based on comparisons across a number of legal characteristics of financial instruments, we suggest that an appropriate characterization of CBM is as ‘social equity’ that confers rights of participation in the economy’s payment system and thereby its economy. This interpretation is important for macroeconomic policy in light of quantitative easing and potential future issuance of central bank digital currency (CBDC). It suggests that in robust economies with credible monetary institutions, and where demand for CBM is sufficiently and sustainably high, large-scale issuance such as under CBDC is not inflationary, and it does not weaken public sector finances.

Suggested Citation

  • Kumhof, Michael & Allen, Jason & Bateman, Will & Lastra, Rosa & Gleeson, Simon & Omarova, Saule, 2020. "Central Bank Money: Liability, Asset, or Equity of the Nation?," CEPR Discussion Papers 15521, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:15521
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Andrej Sokol & Michael Kumhof & Marco Pinchetti & Phurichai Rungcharoenkitkul, 2023. "CBDC policies in open economies," BIS Working Papers 1086, Bank for International Settlements.
    2. Bossone Biagio & Costa Massimo, 2021. "Money for the Issuer: Liability or Equity?," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 15(1), pages 43-59, January.
    3. Barrdear, John & Kumhof, Michael, 2022. "The macroeconomics of central bank digital currencies," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    4. Vlieghe, Gertjan, 2022. "Demographics and other constraints on future monetary policy," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).
    5. Bossone, Biagio, 2024. "A Modigliani-Miller theorem for the public finances of globalized economies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    6. Elsayed, Ahmed H. & Nasir, Muhammad Ali, 2022. "Central bank digital currencies: An agenda for future research," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    7. Pompeo Della Posta & Mario Morroni, 2022. "The credibility of monetary policy and the fiscal response to the pandemic in the Eurozone," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 77-96, April.
    8. Sascha Buetzer, 2022. "Advancing the Monetary Policy Toolkit through Outright Transfers," IMF Working Papers 2022/087, International Monetary Fund.
    9. Jabbar, Abdul & Geebren, Ahmed & Hussain, Zahid & Dani, Samir & Ul-Durar, Shajara, 2023. "Investigating individual privacy within CBDC: A privacy calculus perspective," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    10. Rivetti,Diego, 2022. "Public Debt Reporting in Developing Countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9920, The World Bank.
    11. Fabio Bagarello & Biagio Bossone, 2023. "Bank Deposits as {\em Money Quanta}," Papers 2311.01542, arXiv.org.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Central bank money; Currency; Central bank reserves; Central bank digital currency; Quantitative easing; Central bank balance sheet; Liabilities; Assets; Equity; Government debt;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E41 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Demand for Money
    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E51 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Money Supply; Credit; Money Multipliers
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • H61 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Budget; Budget Systems
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt
    • K0 - Law and Economics - - General
    • K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law
    • K12 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Contract Law

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