BIS appoints central bank digital currency advocate as new head of Innovation Hub

Jinse Finance reported that the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has appointed Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli, one of the world's most influential digital currency economists, as the next head of the BIS Innovation Hub. The appointment will take effect in March 2026. The BIS stated on Tuesday that Mancini-Griffoli will "lead the central banking community in exploring innovative technological solutions." His responsibilities are expected to include the continued advancement of work related to central bank digital currencies (CBDC), tokenized assets, and new types of market infrastructure. Mancini-Griffoli is currently the Deputy Division Chief of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), responsible for payments and currency matters. He is one of the most prominent advocates within the IMF for regulated and publicly supported digital currency models and has previously warned about the risks of unregulated stablecoins. This appointment comes as the BIS Innovation Hub accelerates major projects and expands its influence across global centers. The hub has become an important venue for testing blockchain-based settlement systems and digital currency prototypes.