FM Sitharaman urges RBI to accelerate digital rupee rollout as tokenisation gains momentum

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged the Reserve Bank of India to advance digital rupee pilot programmes, citing the growing role of tokenisation in enabling near-instantaneous settlement of financial transactions.

Sitharaman advocated for a soft-touch regulatory approach to emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, while warning of associated risks. She stressed the need for responsible adoption to maintain India's competitiveness globally.

The FM also called for greater coordination among financial regulators and greater industry self-regulation to support innovation in financial technologies.