In this March 29, 2018, file photo is the Facebook logo on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York's Times Square. A once-ambitious Facebook-backed digital currency project — formerly known as Libra, now called Diem — is shifting operations from Switzerland to the U.S. and said it plans to launch a cryptocurrency tied to the U.S. dollar later in 2021. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
By Barbara Ortutay
A once-ambitious Facebook-backed digital currency project — formerly known as Libra, now called Diem — is shifting operations from Switzerland to the U.S. and said it plans to launch a cryptocurrency tied to the U.S. dollar later this year.
As part of the move, Diem said it is also withdrawing its application for a payment system license from the Swiss Financial Markets Authority, which it has not been able to secure thus far.
The Diem Association, which includes Facebook and 25 other companies, said Wednesday has it entered a partnership with Silvergate Capital Corp. to issue a “stablecoin” backed by the U.S. dollar. A stablecoin is a digital currency backed by real-world assets such as national currencies or other commodities.
As the name implies, stablecoins are designed to not fluctuate wildly in value. That's in sharp contrast to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, whose value is not tied to a real-world currency and whose price has ranged between roughly $9,000 and $63,000 over the past year.
Facebook announced the Libra project in 2019, at the time envisioning it as a stablecoin based on a basket of national currencies. Since then, the effort has been scaled back considerably amid regulatory and commercial backlash. It underwent a name change in December 2020.
Wednesday's announcement represents a further scaling back as Diem shifts focus to the U.S. from its original ambitions to become a global currency for the unbanked around the world.
Global Gaming League's founder Clinton Sparks and chairman Jeff Hoffman on their mission to bridge competitive eSports with mainstream celebrity culture.
AEVEX CEO Roger Wells joins to discuss the company's IPO and what it means for the future of autonomous defense systems in an era of rapid military innovation.
What does AI actually mean for the US economy? Andrew Husby of BNP Paribas breaks down the macro signals, risks, and opportunities hiding in plain sight.
Dominick Passanante of Panasonic Connect breaks down the innovations behind TOUGHBOOK and why rugged tech is more relevant than ever in today's mobile workforce
Voya Financial CEO Heather Lavallee marks 10 years of Voya Cares, spotlighting research and expanding financial access for Americans with disabilities.
When Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (above) and Fed chair Jay Powell jointly summon America’s top bankers to a meeting in Washington, you know it’s big.
Kim Crawford Goodman, CEO of Smarsh, breaks down how financial firms are scaling AI while managing compliance, risk, and regulation in a changing landscape.
