The Bank of Botswana has initiated a feasibility study into a potential Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), marking its first formal exploration of sovereign digital cash.
Announced in July 2025, this exploratory project will examine the technical, legal, economic, and cybersecurity implications of a digital Pula emphasizing stakeholder input from regulators, financial institutions, and the public.
According to Bank of Botswana officials, the primary goal is to determine if a CBDC is necessary whether digital assets pose any risk to currency sovereignty, and if digital currency could meaningfully enhance financial inclusion and accessibility across rural populations.
Potential benefits include streamlining payments, enhancing transparency, improving cross border operations, and extending financial services to under banked regions. Importantly, the study remains in its early phase; no launch timetable or policy decisions have been set.
Officials emphasize the importance of public consultation, capacity building within the central bank, and alignment with Botswana’s broader economic and digital readiness.
This measured, stakeholder driven approach places Botswana in line with other African nations cautiously evaluating CBDC options not rushing rollout, but seeking grounded analysis before committing.
If pursued, Botswana’s CBDC could serve as a financial innovation driver, particularly for rural access but for now, the country remains in a discovery mode, asking “do we need it?” before deciding whether to build it.
