Private cryptocurrencies allow for payments without the need for a financial institution. These institutions, the central bank and retail banks, may thus observe a decline in the demand for their payments systems, i.e. cash and deposits. Using the monetary search model of Lagos and Wright...

This paper examines whether a central bank digital currency (CBDC) reinforces inefficiencies in transactions with cash. In this case, the gap between the traded quantity and the welfare-maximizing one, which arises due to discounting or a suboptimal amount of money, increases further. To get...

The coexistence of cash and digital currencies constitutes a system of parallel currencies. This paper tackles the question whether a new (digital) currency is essential: Does a new currency allow for a better resource allocation even if a fully accepted currency is in circulation and still...

This paper examines whether a central bank digital currency (CBDC) reinforces inefficiencies in transactions with cash. In this case, the gap between the traded quantity and the welfare-maximizing one, which arises due to discounting or a suboptimal amount of money, increases further. To get...