The Future of Currency:
Refining the Standard

Despite the soundness of U.S. paper currency, some people predict the use of currency will decline with the use of electronic payments. Debit cards, now offered by many banks, could greatly reduce our need for cash and bookkeeping, since they not only can be used for purchases, but also to record all our transactions. However, paper currency has the advantage of privacy. While technological innovations make cash less essential, public demand for currency keeps growing. It may be a long time--if ever--before alternate forms of money gain sufficient public confidence to replace currency and bring society into a cashless age.