<p><span>A Forum Member presented a view on why offline functionality should be a key feature of CBDC. The presentation exposed why offline settlement finality was important in a world where physical cash usage is diminishing. The presenter noted that offline settlement finality offered benefits in terms of availability, throughput and operational infrastructure costs, where existing real time (online) settlement systems encountered the biggest challenges. The presentation also mentioned that, without offline finality, any CBDC system would be difficult to differentiate from any other real time payment system. The presenter also mentioned drawbacks of offline systems, including the higher risk of counterfeiting and double spending due to added technical complexity.</span></p>