Lael Brainard, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, laid out a case for a secure, central bank-backed digital currency that could create a more efficient payment system and expand financial services to Americans who have been underserved by traditional banks. “Today, the speed by which consumers and businesses can access the funds following a payment can vary significantly,” Brainard said in a web address to the CoinDesk conference Monday. “Advances in technology, including the use of distributed