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Not the Time for Central Bank Digital Currency

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  2. Economics, Finance, Business & Management
  3. Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital
  4. Vol. 53, Issue 2
  5. pp. 147–158

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Belke, A., Beretta, E. Not the Time for Central Bank Digital Currency. . Why Cash is Still Irreplaceable. Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital, 53(2), 147-158. https://doi.org/10.3790/ccm.53.2.147
Belke, Ansgar and Beretta, Edoardo "Not the Time for Central Bank Digital Currency. Why Cash is Still Irreplaceable. " Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital 53.2, 2020, 147-158. https://doi.org/10.3790/ccm.53.2.147
Belke, Ansgar/Beretta, Edoardo (2020): Not the Time for Central Bank Digital Currency, in: Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital, vol. 53, iss. 2, 147-158, [online] https://doi.org/10.3790/ccm.53.2.147
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Not the Time for Central Bank Digital Currency

Why Cash is Still Irreplaceable

Belke, Ansgar | Beretta, Edoardo

Credit and Capital Markets – Kredit und Kapital, Vol. 53 (2020), Iss. 2 : pp. 147–158

1 Citations (CrossRef)

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Article Details

Publisher Name
Duncker & Humblot
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3790/ccm.53.2.147
Language
English
Pages
12
Keywords

Author Details

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ansgar Belke, Universität Duisburg-Essen (Campus Essen), Fakultät für Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Lehrstuhl für Volkswirtschaftslehre, insb. Makroökonomik, Universitätsstraße 2, D-45141 Essen

Dr. sc. ec. Dr. rer. pol. Edoardo Beretta, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Institute of Economics (IdEP), Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, CH-6900 Lugano

Cited By

  1. Digitaler Euro: Funktionsweise und kritische Würdigung

    Thießen, Friedrich

    Wirtschaftsdienst, Vol. 101 (2021), Iss. 7 P.529

    https://doi.org/10.1007/s10273-021-2960-z [Citations: 0]

References

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  41. Belke, A./Beretta, E. (forthcoming): “From cash to central bank digital currencies and cryptocurrencies: a balancing act between modernity and monetary stability”, Journal of Economic Studies.  Google Scholar
  42. Beretta, E. (2017): “Cash restrictions, alias the EU’s brake on growth: new analytical and empirical evidence”, Currency News, Vol. 15(7), 7-7.  Google Scholar
  43. Beretta, E. (forthcoming): “The fourfold relation between the essence of money, inflation, bubbles and debt. A theoretical macrofounded analysis”, Economic Notes.  Google Scholar
  44. CashEssentials (2018): “World cash report 2018”, http://cashessentials.org/app/uploads/2018/07/2018-world-cash-report.pdf (accessed on March 3, 2020).  Google Scholar
  45. Clark, R. (2017): “The war against cash. The plot to empty your wallet and own your financial future – and why you must fight it”, Harriman House Ltd.: Petersfield.  Google Scholar
  46. CoinMarketCap (2020): “All Cryptocurrencies”, http://coinmarketcap.com/all/views/all (accessed on April 27, 2020).  Google Scholar
  47. De Brunhoff, S./Foley, D. K. (2006): “Karl Marx’s theory of money and credit”, in Arestis, P./Sawyer, M. (eds.), A handbook of alternative monetary economics, Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham und Northampton.  Google Scholar
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  54. Fatás, A./Weder di Mauro, B. (2018): “Cryptocurrencies’ challenge to central banks”, http://voxeu.org/article/cryptocurrencies-challenge-central-banks (accessed on April 27, 2020).  Google Scholar
  55. Global-rates.com (2020): “Central banks – summary of current interest rates”, http://www.global-rates.com/interest-rates/central-banks/central-banks.aspx (accessed on April 27, 2020).  Google Scholar
  56. Gold Price (2020): “Goldpreis-Europa”, http://goldprice.org/de/gold-price-euros.html (accessed on April 27, 2020).  Google Scholar
  57. Horstmann, U./Mann, G. (2019): “Bargeldverbot: Alles was Sie über die kommende Bargeldabschaffung wissen müssen”, Münchner Verlagsgruppe GmbH: München.  Google Scholar
  58. Hunt, M. (2019): “Why a return to cash might be the answer to the millennial debt problem”, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consumer-affairs/return-cash-might-answer-millennial-debt-problem (accessed on April 27, 2020).  Google Scholar
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  61. Krämer, J. (2020): “Vorsicht vor dem digitalen Euro!”, http://www.wiwo.de/my/politik/konjunktur/denkfabrik-vorsicht-vor-dem-digitalen-euro/25540536.html?ticket=ST-2265382-CeBCwdzKDZbLA7wvOzQQ-ap3.  Google Scholar
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  63. Mersch, Y. (2018): “Die Rolle der Euro-Banknoten als gesetzliches Zahlungsmittel”, Rede von Yves Mersch, Mitglied des Direktoriums der EZB, 4. Bargeldsymposium der Deutschen Bundesbank, Frankfurt am Main, den 14. Februar 2018, http://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2018/html/ecb.sp180214.de.html (accessed on March 3, 2020).  Google Scholar
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  66. Raskin, M./Yermack, D. (2016): “Digital currencies, decentralized ledgers, and the future of central banking”, NBER Working Paper Series, 22238.  Google Scholar
  67. Sinn, H.-W. (2014): “The Euro trap: on bursting bubbles, budgets, and beliefs”, Oxford University Press: Oxford.  Google Scholar
  68. Verhage, A. (2011): “The anti money laundering complex and the compliance industry”, Routledge: London and New York.  Google Scholar
  69. World Health Organization (2020): “FACT: The risk of being infected with the new coronavirus by touching coins, banknotes or credit cards and other objects, is very low”, http://twitter.com/WHOWPRO/status/1229947064093593600/photo (accessed on March 3, 2020).  Google Scholar
  70. Weltwirtschaftsforum (2020): “Top global risks”, http://reports.weforum.org/global-risks-report-2020/shareable-infographics/ (accessed on March 3, 2020).  Google Scholar

Abstract

This short article addresses several important (but less discussed) aspects of the introduction of central bank digital currency that give cause for concern, no matter whether such a currency is intended as a substitute or a complement to cash. It discusses potential effects, such as bank runs and capital flight, and analyzes possible interactions between central bank digital currency and the limits on cash payments that already exist in several European countries. What are the structural characteristics that still make paper money and coins (the only means of payment directly issued by central banks) irreplaceable? These and other issues (including effects of COVID-19 on cash payment limits) are explored through a discursive approach that is simultaneously grounded in rigorous macroeconomic analysis.

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Ansgar Belke / Edoardo Beretta: Not the Time for Central Bank Digital Currency. Why Cash is Still Irreplaceable 1
Abstract 1
I. Introduction 1
II. Physical Cash as a Means of Ensuring Economic Prosperity 2
III. The Riskiness of Legally Binding Limits on Cash Payments 7
IV. Conclusion and Outlook: Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cash Use 9
References 1

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