UPDATED 20:27 EDT / MAY 26 2020

BLOCKCHAIN

Facebook gives its Calibra Libra digital wallet a new name: Novi

Facebook Inc. today renamed Calibra, the digital wallet designed to work with its Libra cryptocurrency, to Novi.

The move comes after the Libra Association announced in April that it was abandoning its original plan for Libra to be a single global currency to assist cross-border transactions in favor of a network of stablecoins tied to local currencies. Stablecoins are a form of cryptocurrency designed to minimize price volatility by being tied to an established asset.

Novi, said to be derived from the Latin words “novus” for “new” and “via” for “way,” is being pitched as a new way to send money, with the new visual identity and design representing “the fluid management of digital currencies.” The new logo includes the Libra icon in the middle of the letter o as a commitment to the Libra network.

The wallet seems to have changed only in name, not features. Facebook promises that it will be offered both as a standalone app and in Messenger and WhatsApp. The service promises no hidden charges to add, send, receive or withdraw money, with all transfers arriving instantly. Customers will require verification in compliance with Know Your Customer laws and fraud protections are offered in the service.

There’s no set time for the release of the app. Facebook said only that an early version will become available when the Libra network is available. The Libra network is rumored to be coming online between mid-November and the end of the year.

“While we’ve changed our name from Calibra, we haven’t changed our long-term commitment to helping people around the world access affordable financial services,” Novi head David Marcus said in a statement. “Whether you’re sending money home to support the family members who supported you, or you’re receiving money from your friends no matter where they are, the Novi wallet will make money work better for everyone.”

What’s missing from the spin is the real thinking behind the change, something that Marcus doesn’t touch on. On one hand, it may stem from ongoing criticism against Libra, the name Calibra sounding like Libra. Alternatively the name change, complete with a redesign of the wallet’s logo, could be the result of controversy over its similarity to banking startup Current.

Image: Facebook/Novi

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