South Korea's 7-Eleven stores will accept payments in the country's central bank digital currency (CBDC)

The convenience store chain will reportedly provide a 10% discount on all products paid for with CBDC during the test period.

South Korea’s 7-Eleven stores will accept payments in the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) until June. The convenience store chain is participating in the test phase of the government’s CBDC project.

According to Money Today, 7-Eleven stores will offer a 10% discount on all products paid for with CBDC during the test period. The company is also planning to provide coupons and other benefits to customers using the digital currency.

The company is trying to integrate digital technology advancements in its operations, said Moon Dae-woo, head of 7-Eleven’s digital innovation division. The executive added that the company’s participation in the CBDC test will help accelerate the firm’s digital transformation.

Many stores will participate in the country’s CBDC testing phase, which runs from April 1 to June 30. The project also involves 100,000 participants who will be allowed to test payments using CBDC issued by the central bank.

Central bank digital currencies are digital assets issued by government agencies. Like other digital assets, CBDCs offer faster and more modernized payment features. However, unlike Bitcoin (BTC) and other privacy-focused tokens that offer certain levels of anonymity, CBDCs are controlled and monitored by governments.

South Korea tests CBDC from April to June

On March 24, government agencies including the Bank of Korea, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) announced the CBDC test.

Participants can convert their bank deposits into tokens stored in a distributed ledger during the test period. The tokens will hold the same value as the Korean won.

The government agencies said citizens aged 19 or older with a deposit account in a participating bank could apply to take part. Registrations were limited to 100,000 participants. KB, Koomin, Shinhan, Hana, Woori, NongHyup, IBK and Busan are among the banks participating in the CBDC tests.

Apart from 7-Eleven, participants can use their CBDCs in coffee shops, supermarkets, K-Pop merchandise stores and delivery platforms. However, users will be limited to a total conversion limit of 5 million won ($3,416) during testing.

The Bank of Korea first announced the retail CBDC testing for 100,000 users in November 2023 and was originally scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024. The FSS said the country’s CBDC test represents a step toward creating a prototype for a “future monetary system.”