Protesters marched in Amsterdam on Sunday against the adoption of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDG) as advocated by Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and prepared by the European Central Bank (ECB).
“She only dances and eats lobster and that kind of things, but do not interfere with our money and do not tell us how to spend it,” a protester said.
“We have to see that picture of freedom equals prosperity and freedom can build far more wealth than tyranny,” added a second protester.
Protesters claimed that a so-called ‘digital euro’ would only limit the rights and freedoms of Dutch citizens. They argue that adopting a CBDG would serve to control the spending habits of the population.
Both the ECB’s and the Dutch regent have promised that such a system would only be introduced after rigorous audits and tests.
Queen Maxima argues that digital currency would help promote the financial inclusion of communities in EU member states that do not operate with banks.
CBDC are digital currencies issued by central banks. Unlike cryptocurrencies, their value is regulated by the bank and equivalent to the country’s fiat currency. This system is already implemented in countries such as Nigeria and the Bahamas.