# The Latest on CBDCs and Digital ID, Ep #73 Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/upthinking-finance-5204253/the-latest-on-cbdcs-and-digital-id-ep-73 Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/upthinking-finance-5204253/the-latest-on-cbdcs-and-digital-id-ep-73.md Podcast: [UPTHINKING FINANCE](https://stenobird.com/podcast/upthinking-finance-5204253) Published: 2025-08-15T14:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://upthinking-finance.captivate.fm Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/36b2294f-901f-46e1-a3cf-46e8be423555.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/upthinking-finance-5204253/episodes/the-latest-on-cbdcs-and-digital-id-ep-73 Duration seconds: 2924 ## Resource Upthinking Finance™ is now trademarked Melissa Ciummei, an independent investor and researcher in Northern Ireland, joins us on Upthinking Finance™ to take a global look at the rapidly evolving world of digital currencies, digital IDs, and the shifting economic landscape. We discuss the push for Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) in the EU, UK, and US, explaining how digital identity is becoming an essential precursor for programmable money and increased financial oversight. The discussion digs into the societal impacts of these technologies, exploring everything from privacy concerns and geopolitical pressures to generational shifts in values and the consequences of ever-growing inequality. Whether you’re curious about the politicized rollouts of stablecoins, the quiet move toward digital surveillance, or you want to understand how new technologies are reshaping money, this episode gives you a nuanced perspective on the future of finance and the growing importance of community involvement in shaping that future. Join us for an eye-opening conversation that connects the dots between economic policy, digital innovation, and the real-life consequences for individuals and society at large. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Digital ID: Foundation before CBDCs [00:00] EU tensions and trade challenges [06:14] Why Melissa sees geopolitical and economic tensions rising [07:30] Why Digital ID adoption in the US is limited and the focus is on currency [13:23] Travel fast pass solutions and the impact of using biometrics to skip the line [16:35] Gold's quiet role in finance [27:16] Homeownership challenges for younger generations [29:47] Hackers pose risks, and laws are outdated [36:01] An example of how community dynamics are changing local poli… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/upthinking-finance-5204253/episodes/the-latest-on-cbdcs-and-digital-id-ep-73/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/upthinking-finance-5204253/the-latest-on-cbdcs-and-digital-id-ep-73.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.