From Cash to Code: How the Rise of Digital Currencies Could Reshape Trade, Power, and Australia’s Economic Future

From Cash to Code: How the Rise of Digital Currencies Could Reshape Trade, Power, and Australia’s Economic Future

In this webinar, Dr. Marina Yue Zhang explores the transformative impact of mobile payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay in China, which have integrated online and offline life for millions. It also delves into China's Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), e-CNY, which is a state-backed digital currency designed to function alongside or replace cash. The e-CNY has significant implications for national sovereignty, economic policy, and global trade. China's strategic push for digital finance aims to reshape the global financial order and establish the country as a leader in CBDC technology, influencing future global economic governance.

This event is a hybrid event and can be attended in-person or virtually.

About the Speaker

Dr. Marina Yue Zhang is an Associate Professor at the Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney (UTS: ACRI). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Peking University, China, and an MBA and PhD in Innovation Studies from the Australian National University. Dr. Zhang is the author of three books, including Demystifying China's Innovation Machine: Chaotic Order, co-authored with Mark Dodgson and David Gann (Oxford University Press, 2022).

Her research focuses on innovation policy, emerging technologies, and their intersections with geopolitics. Dr. Zhang’s work has been widely featured in media outlets such as the BBC, Bloomberg TV, ABC, and CNA, and her research has been cited in leading publications including Science, Nature, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Australian Financial Review, among others.

Details and Registration