Australia and New Zealand Banking Group is one step closer to launching its bank-issued stablecoin A$DC after the bank successfully executed a test transaction on Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP):
ANZ’s banking services portfolio lead Nigel Dobson said the transaction was a “milestone” moment for the bank in a Sept. 14 statement:
“ANZ recently worked with Chainlink CCIP to complete a test transaction to simulate the purchase of a tokenised asset, facilitated using A$DC and an ANZ-issued NZ-dollar-denominated stablecoin.”
Dobson said the firm has been experimenting with several networks — presumably to test out where the ANZ’s Australian dollar stablecoin can be best utilized:
“We’re actively exploring the use of decentralised networks through a ‘test-and-learn’ approach,” the ANZ executive said.
Dobson said ANZ sees “real value” in tokenizing real-world assets like the Australian dollar, a move that could potentially transform the banking industry:
“Tokenised assets are already changing the way banking works, and the technology has the potential to do more — if the right pieces can come together.”
ANZ minted the first A$DC stablecoin in March, 2022, which was the first of its kind in Australia.
However, the other Big Four Australian banks — Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac and National Australia Bank — recently imposed restrictions and, in some instances, full blocks on bank transfers to several “high-risk” cryptocurrency exchanges.
Bendigo Bank followed suit in late July.
These banks cited the need to protect customers against cryptocurrency scams as the main reason behind imposing the restrictions.
