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Pecunia olet. Cash usage and the underground economy

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  • Michele Giammatteo

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Stefano Iezzi

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Roberta Zizza

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

This paper explores the role of cash usage in feeding the underground economy by using a unique dataset that combines, at province level, official estimates of Italian firms’ underreporting with data on cash transactions drawn from the aggregate anti-money laundering reports filed to the Italian Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) by banks. In order to derive causal evidence, we apply two different econometric strategies: an instrumental variable approach and a difference-in-difference approach, which exploits the change in the maximum threshold for cash transactions introduced in 2016, thereby providing a measure of the effect of such policy on tax evasion. We find that an increase in cash usage translates, other things being equal, into a higher level of underreporting by firms, and that raising the cash threshold in 2016 – a measure motivated by the objective of boosting spending – had the side effect of leading to a larger underground economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Michele Giammatteo & Stefano Iezzi & Roberta Zizza, 2021. "Pecunia olet. Cash usage and the underground economy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 649, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_649_21
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Flaviano Russo, 2022. "Cash thresholds, cash expenditure and tax evasion," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 387-403, December.
    2. Sanvi Avouyi-Dovi & Lorraine Chouteau & Lucas Devigne & Emmanuelle Politronacci, 2023. "Shadow Economy in France: What Factors Matter?," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 133(3), pages 453-494.
    3. Michele Manna, 2022. "The bonfire of banknotes," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 25, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    4. Rainone, Edoardo, 2023. "Tax evasion policies and the demand for cash," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    shadow economy; tax evasion; cash threshold; bank branches; ATM; cashless payments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • E26 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Informal Economy; Underground Economy
    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System

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