Central Bank Digital Currencies: Legal Architecture, Risks & Opportunities for the UK Market

Introduction

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are moving from concept to policy reality as central banks respond to digital innovation, digital money, and changing payment behaviours. A CBDC is a digital form of central bank money, distinct from cash, bank deposits, stablecoins, and cryptocurrencies, raising important legal and regulatory questions.

This webinar provides a clear, legally grounded overview of CBDCs, focusing on how design choices translate into legal rights, regulatory obligations, and institutional responsibilities. It is designed for professionals who need to understand the UK framework and the implications of introducing a new form of digital sterling.

What you will learn

This short webinar will cover the following:

• Understanding CBDCs and why they matter now
• Define and distinguish CBDCs
• Global momentum and policy drivers
• The ‘digital pound’ concept and broader EU and global context
• Design choices and legal consequences
• Retail versus wholesale models; account-based versus token-based access models; and distribution frameworks
• Examine privacy and programmability levers, including offline functionality and transaction limits
• Core legal and regulatory architecture in the UK
• Statutory foundations for issuance and the Bank of England’s powers
• Address regulatory perimeter questions under FSMA/FSMA reforms and the regulatory treatment of CBDC-related services
• Consider the overlay of payments law, including the PSRs, FSB/CPMI international standards

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Friday 12th June 2026

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 2,101 others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.