Although the SNB is researching a digital franc, it currently has no plans to introduce one. According to Lenz, the current payment system works well, meaning there is no need for a digital franc. The studies and pilot projects that the SNB is currently carrying out with the Bank for International Settlements and the French Central Bank all relate to digital currencies for large customers such as banks. However, Lenz states that this is not about implementation on a productive level and that there are currently no plans to introduce a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
According to Lenz, there is no danger that the franc could be displaced by other currencies if Switzerland were to stand aside in the development of digital currencies. In theory, Lenz states that there are many technological possibilities for a digital franc, one of these being a direct account with the National Bank or relying on completely decentralised solutions on a blockchain where there is no central authority. According to Lenz, however, blockchain is inefficient and a decentralised solution is not ideal.