CBDC

CBDC stands for Central Bank Digital Currency. Despite being digital, they are the opposite of a crypto-currency, because CBDCs are centralized (the central bank has total control over it). Also, CBDCs are different from the current FIAT digital money, because CBDCs are programable, which means that central banks have no limitation to alter, manipulate, delete or create the currency, or even decide which goods and services can be bought, and which ones cannot.

5 central banks have already implemented their own CBDCs:

• People's Bank of China
• The Central Bank of The Bahamas
• The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank
• The Central Bank of Nigeria
• The Bank of Jamaica

PROs

• Higher transaction speed (immediate transfers to any person with same currency)
• Their implementation has a positive consequence: it will encourage more people to run away from FIAT money faster and start using crypto-currencies, instead of the CBDCs

CONs

• Allow even more government control over the currency
• Could be used by governments to implement expiration dates to money, to force spending
• Can be used by governments to prohibit buying certain assets, or forcing consumers to only buy certain types
• Could make abuse of power by authorities easier
• Represent the end of cash, and the end of privacy completely
• Every transaction could be under government observation and control
• Allow governments to manipulate behavior of society by controlling or forcing  spending in different goods and services

Conclusion

CBDCs are definitely bad news, but they also give hope to the crypto-currency world. It is becoming clearer that, even for the most conservative investors, it is a good idea to have at least some money stored as crypto-currencies, because in the near future, it could be too late due to crypto-currencies getting already too expensive, or because governments just prohibit buying them with CBDCs, and people that never bought any crypto-currency will be stuck with a currency that could make them slaves.