This research investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on foreign direct investment. This research also studies the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the relationship between foreign direct investment (FDI) and the gross domestic product (GDP). This research employs a local projection estimation to calculate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on foreign direct investment. The panel vector autoregression is applied to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the relationship between FDI and GDP. This research finds variations in the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on FDI among economic sectors in Indonesia. Moreover, the relationship between FDI and GDP is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We develop a medium size dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model to assess the macroeconomic consequences of introducing an interest-bearing central bank digital currency (CBDC), an electronic alternative of payment with public use properties of cash and that can furnish as bank settlement balances. The model consists of seven sectors, namely households, retail firms, wholesale firms, capital producing firms, commercial banks, central bank, and government, and offers rich features. The use of cash and CBDC is differentiated with respect to their prices and transaction costs. In particular, we quantify the effects of negative shock on CBDC transaction cost to evaluate the potential of CBDC as an alternate instrument in liquidity holding in addition to cash and bank deposits. We also examine the effects of productivity shock and monetary policy shock on CBDC interest rate and CBDC demand, and their interaction with other main variables of the model.

Poverty is an apparent problem in Indonesia, with the number of people living in poverty reaching 26.36 million. Islamic Social Finance (ISF), especially through productive waqf instruments, is one of the prospective solutions to overcome this problem. Although Indonesia has enormous waqf potential, waqf realisation is still very low. There are several challenges in the waqf collection process, namely low literacy or public awareness, unprofessional management, and a lack of qualified human resources (nazhir). This research aims to determine the optimal productive waqf model to be implemented in Indonesia using the Delphi ANP-BOCR method. To strengthen the research results, this study also conducted a meta-analysis as a form of robustness check and a benefits, opportunities, costs, and risks (BOCR) analysis of each model as supporting arguments. The findings of this study show that Islamic banks as a way to leverage funds for waqf are the most prioritised model. This is because Islamic banks act as intermediary institutions that have great potential for optimising the collection and management of waqf funds, which can increase economic growth. This is reinforced by the results obtained from the meta-analysis and several supporting arguments, which show that Islamic financial institutions (including Islamic banks) can improve community welfare through the utilisation of social funds (including waqf). Besides that, this research also discusses an alternative model of productive waqf through digitalisation by adopting several technologies that aim to increase efficiency, transparency, and accessibility so as to optimise the collection and management of waqf funds more effectively and efficiently.

Using monthly time-series data and both short- and long-run models, our paper examines the determinants of Indonesia’s income velocity of money. Our findings strongly suggest that in the long-run, tax revenue, short-term interest rates, and industrial production, and in the short-run, money demand significantly determines income velocity of money. Our analysis suggests that the effect on income velocity is mostly over the long-run as most determinants are dormant in the short-run. The implication from a policy perspective is that shocks that are transitory are unlikely to burden income velocity.

The growth of digitalisation presents the possibility for Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) to emerge as a secure and efficient payment method. However, despite the benefits, CBDC implementation needs to be adapted to the capabilities and needs of each country. This study uses meta-strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (meta-SWOT) analysis to assess the internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as the external opportunities and threats, to determine the most optimal CBDC design for emerging economies. In analysing internal aspects, CBDC allows for an efficient payment system, followed by a more effective monetary policy. Furthermore, the technology creates the possibility to boost financial inclusion and trace many illicit activities. However, to achieve that, high investment costs and privacy issues must be accommodated, followed by technological risks such as the digital divide and electrical outages. Turning to external aspects, growing technology, the network effect, enthusiasm for CBDC, and the impracticality of cash usage have become catalysts for CBDC development. Despite these opportunities, central banks should be wary of the threat of cyberattacks, quickening bank disintermediation, legal issues within their respective countries, and competition with private crypto companies. Altogether, the most optimal CBDC design in emerging economies is retail and wholesale coverage, interest-bearing (wholesale) and noninterest-bearing (retail) remuneration, account-based and token-based paymentsystems, a traceable degree of anonymity, hybrid architecture, a Decentralised Ledger Technology (DLT) ledger system, and domestic and cross-border scope. These results are supported by rigorous examination of global CBDC research and development.