I think the article precludes the discussion of the simple fact that people do not want it. Whether that be in PRC, Nigeria or any nation that's tried to roll it out at scale. There's no uptake because there's no interest. People do not want it.

Mostly, there's negligible advantage to the end-user. To say that money has transitioned from the physical space to your mobile and electronic devices, is nothing innovative. People know this.

Squabbling over how much control, whether that be from the supranational ECB’s Governing Council or the government of your nation, is just ignoring the fact that there is no material advantage to the individual.

Just a huge waste of public finance, and as you said, the ever-encroaching demands of the state into our everyday lives. A shame really.