LONDON, March 14 Reuters A total of 134 countries representing 98 of the global economy are now exploring digital versions of their currencies, with over half in advanced development, pilot or launch stages, a closelyfollowed study on Thursday showed.

The research by the U.S.based Atlantic Council think tank highlighted that all G20 countries with the exception of Argentina are now in one of those faralong phases although, notably, the United States is falling increasingly behind.

While still inching forward on a banks only wholesale digital dollar, one for the wider U.S. population now looked stalled the report said, with Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell saying this month, nothing like that is remotely close to happening.

U.S. President Joe Biden ordered officials to look into a digital dollar in 2022 but it has become a divisive political issue with Biden39;s Republican rival in this year39;s U.S. election race, Donald Trump, vowing not to allow it.

The biggest headline here is that the divergence between the world39;s largest central banks over CBDCs Central Bank Digital Currency is growing, the Atlantic Council39;s Josh Lipsky said pointing to how much further ahead China, Europe and Japan were.

Supporters say digital currencies will allow new functionality and provide an alternative to physical cash, which seems in terminal decline. But they have also fuelled protests in a number of countries over the potential for government snooping.

The risk of the U.S….