Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?

This paper analyses the monetary characteristics of five cryptocurrencies to evaluate whether they can perform the functions of money. While all cryptocurrencies can theoretically and practically serve as a medium of exchange, they are unlikely to become common and liquid media of exchange unless th...

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Main Author: Ammous, Saifedean (author)
Format: article
Published: 2018
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10725/10907
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qref.2018.05.010
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1062976917300777
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author Ammous, Saifedean
author_facet Ammous, Saifedean
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Ammous, Saifedean
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2018
2019-06-26T07:01:53Z
2019-06-26T07:01:53Z
2019-06-26
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 1062-9769
http://hdl.handle.net/10725/10907
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qref.2018.05.010
Ammous, S. (2018). Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 70, 38-51.
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1062976917300777
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance
dc.rights.*.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
description This paper analyses the monetary characteristics of five cryptocurrencies to evaluate whether they can perform the functions of money. While all cryptocurrencies can theoretically and practically serve as a medium of exchange, they are unlikely to become common and liquid media of exchange unless they can illustrate utility in one of the other functions of money. Digital currencies’ rigidly inflexible supply and wildly fluctuating demand make them too unstable to be used as a unit of account for the foreseeable future. Of the five, only Bitcoin has the potential to serve as a store of value, due to its strict commitment to low supply growth, credibly backed by the network’s distributed protocol and credible demonstration of the absence of any authority capable of altering the supply schedule. Other cryptocurrencies’ centralized control, and use as tokens for specific applications make them unlikely to fulfil monetary functions.
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
format article
id LAURepo_ecf11c620003fd8ca587e6de19014e63
identifier_str_mv 1062-9769
Ammous, S. (2018). Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 70, 38-51.
language_invalid_str_mv en
network_acronym_str LAURepo
network_name_str Lebanese American University repository
oai_identifier_str oai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/10907
publishDate 2018
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
repository.name.fl_str_mv
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spelling Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?Ammous, SaifedeanThis paper analyses the monetary characteristics of five cryptocurrencies to evaluate whether they can perform the functions of money. While all cryptocurrencies can theoretically and practically serve as a medium of exchange, they are unlikely to become common and liquid media of exchange unless they can illustrate utility in one of the other functions of money. Digital currencies’ rigidly inflexible supply and wildly fluctuating demand make them too unstable to be used as a unit of account for the foreseeable future. Of the five, only Bitcoin has the potential to serve as a store of value, due to its strict commitment to low supply growth, credibly backed by the network’s distributed protocol and credible demonstration of the absence of any authority capable of altering the supply schedule. Other cryptocurrencies’ centralized control, and use as tokens for specific applications make them unlikely to fulfil monetary functions.PublishedN/A2019-06-26T07:01:53Z2019-06-26T07:01:53Z20182019-06-26Articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/article1062-9769http://hdl.handle.net/10725/10907https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qref.2018.05.010Ammous, S. (2018). Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?. The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, 70, 38-51.http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.phphttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1062976917300777enThe Quarterly Review of Economics and Financeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/109072021-03-19T09:10:17Z
spellingShingle Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?
Ammous, Saifedean
status_str publishedVersion
title Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?
title_full Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?
title_fullStr Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?
title_full_unstemmed Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?
title_short Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?
title_sort Can cryptocurrencies fulfil the functions of money?
url http://hdl.handle.net/10725/10907
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qref.2018.05.010
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1062976917300777