Some Ambiguities Concerning the Development of Electronic Money

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyse the economic efficiency of electronic money and to identify different factors hindering its growth. It is argued that electronic money might eventually make paper money obsolete. Nevertheless, prospects for the development of this monetary innovation remain uncertain due to the complexity and ambiguity of electronic money products. In particular, the paper identifies network effects and habit persistence as major factors hindering the adoption and more widespread use of electronic money.e-money, ICT, network externalities, habit persistence.