a CBDC means that each dollar is a unique trackable unit (a cryptographic expression), whereas current digital accounts are merely numbers in a computer system (your checking account may have "3,000 dollars" in it, but none of the dollars are unique. Your balance is expressed as a number [quantity] and unit of account [dollars] Moreover, unlike a physical quarter or a dollar bill, which is "neutral money" and can be freely exchanged between people, lost or found, etc., a CBDC makes each unit of currency a unique digital signature that can only be exchanged through the Central Bank over the internet. Hence, the Bank can monitor and block any transaction at any time, or use the system to track where blocks of money go [from person A to B to C to D, etc.] Above all, the use of CBDC would also allow your money to be "disabled" for violating "laws". If we go fully digital, you could be prevented from buying food because "your money is no good here"