Members of the Brics group of nations, which includes South Africa, are discussing potential linkages between their respective fast payment systems and central bank digital currencies, Reserve Bank of India governor Sanjay Malhotra said at an event on Tuesday. “Various options are on the table, but it is still at discussion stage, including CBDCs (central bank digital currencies) and linkages of fast payment systems,” he added. Central banks globally have been paying close attention to lenders’ usage of AI amid worries over cyberattacks alongside operational and governance risks. On linking fast payment systems, the South African Reserve Bank is already doing the work – though through the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) rather than Brics. On the digital currency half of the proposition, the Reserve Bank has been more reserved.