Over the past decade, rapid digitalization and fintech innovation have transformed payments, especially in emerging markets. Central banks worldwide are fast-tracking Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), with over 95% of the global economy exploring their use.

This book examines the rise of digital payments, cryptocurrencies, and CBDCs through case studies from emerging markets, analyzing their economic and social impacts. It also reviews global CBDC initiatives, highlighting both benefits and concerns—such as privacy and centralization of control.

Finally, it explores how CBDCs, stablecoins, and digital payment systems could reshape the global financial order and trigger major policy shifts in the future of money.