Alexander Copestake

Alexander Copestake

Economist

International Monetary Fund

Biography

I am an Economist in the Research Department at the International Monetary Fund. My research focuses on the relationships between technology, finance, trade and development.

Disclaimer: All views expressed on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the position of the IMF.

Interests
  • Fast payment systems
  • Crypto and CBDC
  • Tokenization
Education

  • DPhil in Economics, 2021

    University of Oxford

  • MSc in Development Economics, 2017

    University of Oxford

  • BA in Philosophy, Politics & Economics, 2015

    University of Oxford

Working Papers

Integrating Fragmented Networks: The Value of Interoperability in Money and Payments
Alexander Copestake, Divya Kirti, Maria Soledad Martinez Peria, Yao Zeng
Last updated on Jul 7, 2025
PDF IMF Working Paper
Integrating Fragmented Networks: The Value of Interoperability in Money and Payments
The Crypto Cycle and Institutional Investors
Alexander Copestake, Davide Furceri, Tammaro Terracciano
Last updated on Jul 7, 2025
PDF Slides IMF Working Paper Bloomberg The Economist Econbrowser The FinReg Blog
The Crypto Cycle and Institutional Investors
China Spillovers: Aggregate and Firm-Level Evidence
R&R at Journal of International Economics
Alexander Copestake, Melih Firat, Davide Furceri, Chris Redl
Last updated on Jul 7, 2025
PDF IMF Working Paper Supply and Demand Shocks Data
China Spillovers: Aggregate and Firm-Level Evidence
The Role of Market Structure and Timing in Determining VAT Pass-Through
R&R at National Tax Journal
Alexander Copestake, Matthieu Bellon, Wenzhang Zhang
Last updated on Jul 7, 2025
PDF IMF Working Paper SSRN
The Role of Market Structure and Timing in Determining VAT Pass-Through
AI and Services-Led Growth: Evidence from Indian Job Adverts
R&R at Journal of Human Resources
Alexander Copestake, Ashley Pople, Katherine Stapleton, Max Marczinek
Last updated on Jul 7, 2025
PDF Slides SSRN STEG Working Paper The Economist Ideas for India Ideas for India (Hindi)
AI and Services-Led Growth: Evidence from Indian Job Adverts

Publications

Alexander Copestake, Anh H. Le, Brandon Tan, Evan Papageorgiou, S. Jay Peiris, Umang Rawat (2025). Macro-Financial Impacts of Foreign Digital Money. Economics Letters.

PDF Cite Link

Alexander Copestake, Julia Estefania-Flores, Davide Furceri (2024). Digitalization and Resilience. Research Policy.

PDF Cite Link

Alexander Copestake, Davide Furceri, Pablo Gonzalez-Dominguez (2022). Crypto Market Responses to Digital Asset Policies. Economics Letters.

PDF Cite Link Data on Bans Data on Speeches

Alexander Copestake, Wenzhang Zhang (2022). Inputs, Networks and Quality-Upgrading: Evidence from China in India. China Economic Review.

PDF Cite Link

Alexander Copestake, Erhan Artuc, Paulo Bastos, Bob Rijkers (2022). Robots and Trade: Implications for Developing Countries. “Robots and AI: A New Economic Era” (eds. Gene M. Grossman and Lili Yan Ing), Oxon and New York: Routledge, 2022.

PDF Cite Book Link

Policy Work

& Other Writing

Growing Retail Digital Payments: The Value of Interoperability | IMF Fintech Note | June 2025

Discussion of “New Technologies and Jobs in Europe” by Albanesi et al. | ASSA | January 2025

AI and Services-Led Growth | IMF Research Perspectives | May 2024

Macro-Financial Impacts of Foreign Digital Money | IMF Working Paper and Fintech Note | December 2023

Banks' Joint Exposure to Market and Run Risk | IMF Working Paper | September 2023

Malaysia 2023 Article IV Consultation | IMF | June 2023

Recovery Unabated Amid Uncertainty | IMF Regional Economic Outlook | May 2023

Geoeconomic Fragmentation and Asia | IMF Regional Economic Outlook | October 2022

Post-COVID Scarring in Asia | IMF Regional Economic Outlook | October 2022

Malaysia 2022 Article IV Consultation | IMF | April 2022

Crypto for Dummies | Brown Bag Lunch | December 2021

Strange New World: Globalization, AI and Development | Oxford Global Exchanges | August 2021

Rescue: From Global Crisis To A Better World | Ian Goldin | May 2021

Rethinking Global Resilience | IMF Finance & Development | Fall 2020

Fragility to Strength: Lessons in Building State Resilience from Around the World | Reform | October 2020

Creating Network Diagrams in Gephi | CSAE Coders' Corner | October 2020

Technology and the Future of Work | Center for International Cooperation | September 2020

The Just Transition in Energy | Center for International Cooperation | September 2020

Multilateralism and the Search for Collective Institutional Leadership and Governance | DOC Rhodes Forum | August 2020

Experience

 
 
 
 
 
Economist
International Monetary Fund
Sep 2024 – Present Washington, D.C.
Macro-Financial Division, Research Department
 
 
 
 
 
Economist Program (EP)
International Monetary Fund
Sep 2021 – Sep 2024 Washington, D.C.

Macro-Financial Division, Research Department

Regional Studies Division & Malaysia Team, Asia and Pacific Department

 
 
 
 
 
Short Term Consultant
The World Bank
Feb 2021 – Aug 2021 Washington, D.C.
Development Research Group — project investigating the impacts of industrial robotics on developing countries.
 
 
 
 
 
Research Assistant
Oxford Martin School
Apr 2020 – Sep 2020 Oxford
RA for Professor Ian Goldin — Oxford Martin Programme on Technological and Economic Change
 
 
 
 
 
Graduate Teaching Assistant
University of Oxford
Jun 2019 – Aug 2021 Oxford

Courses taught:

  • Undergraduate — Economics of Developing Countries
  • MSc Economics for Development — International Trade
  • DPhil Continuing Education — Econometrics
 
 
 
 
 
Fund Internship Program (FIP)
International Monetary Fund
Jun 2019 – Aug 2019 Washington, D.C.
Fiscal Affairs Department –> IMF Working Paper on VAT pass-through

Contact