The Swedish Riksbank is investigating a digital currency, a so-called e-krona -- could this use GNU Taler?

[Elias Rudberg]

Hej!

In Sweden there are currently things happening regarding a new digital 
currency, a so-called "e-krona".

From here:

https://www.riksbank.se/en-gb/payments--cash/e-krona/

"The Riksbank is investigating whether it is possible to issue a digital 
complement to cash, a so-called e-krona. Just like cash, the e-krona 
would be issued by the Riksbank and be available to the general public. 
At yet no decision has been taken to issue an e-krona."

The latest report about it is from 2021.

Of course we need such a digital currency to work with free software. 
not forcing anyone to use proprietary software to use the "e-krona". 
Since they write that it should be available to the "general public", 
let's hope that the "general public" will include also those of us who 
want to use exclusively free/libre software.

At the same time there has been some news about the GNU Taler project: 
https://taler.net/ -- GNU Taler: "We provide a payment system that makes 
privacy-friendly online transactions fast and easy."

2021-2: "How to issue a Central Bank Digital Currency" published -- 
https://taler.net/en/news/2021-01.html

2021-3: "Why a Digital Euro should be Online-first and Bearer-based " 
published -- https://taler.net/en/news/2021-03.html

This looks like good timing!

Can we convince the Riksbank to use GNU Taler as a basis for the new 
"e-krona"?

At the very least, we should try to make the Riksbank aware of the 
importance of making sure the new system can be used with exclusively 
free/libre software.

What do you think?

Are people at the Riksbank who work with the "e-krona" project already 
aware of this? If not, what is the best way to reach them?

Best regards / Vänliga hälsningar
Elias Rudberg