Britain must not be left behind in rapid financial innovation and it was getting closer to deciding "when, rather than if" it would issue a digital version of sterling, its financial services minister said on Wednesday.

"I don't want the UK to be left behind," Andrew Griffith told an event held by OMFIF think tank. "We need to stay ahead of the innovation curve."

(Reporting by Huw Jones, Editing by Louise Heavens)