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A Mixed Duopoly in the Provision of Payment Services

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  • Carlos A. Arango-Arango
  • Yanneth Rocío Betancourt-García

Abstract

In this paper, we study the coexistence of cash and electronic payments introducing some distortions in the payments markets to understand the widespread use of cash, specially in emerging countries. Following Lagos and Wright (2005) we model explicitly some frictions in the exchange process considering money as essential. We introduce in this theoretical framework, theft and informality (measured by tax evasion), as factors affecting cash usage and, therefore competition with an electronic payment method. In this paper, segmentation in the payments market is considered by introducing heterogeneity in the seller's side, assuming different levels of productivity to explain the preference for cash or for electronic payments. Considering the above, the provision of the electronic payment platform is modeled under three different market structures to identify the effects of the distortions comparing the results with the social planner solution. In the first case, the electronic payment platform is provided by a public firm as a free service; in the second case a private monopoly provides the platform at a positive cost, and in the third case the conditions for the existence of a mixed duopoly are derived. The existence of a public provider in the electronic payments market could lead private networks to provide these services at a lower cost than in the monopoly case, increasing the coverage of digital payments and reducing cash usage, which implies gains in social welfare. This paper gives a theoretical basis and key insights to the discussions regarding public provision of new payment services when the market is already served by private suppliers. **** RESUMEN: Este artículo analiza teóricamente la coexistencia de dos medios de pago, como el efectivo y los pagos electrónicos, considerando algunas distorsiones en el mercado de pagos. Siguiendo a Lagos y Wright (2005), se modelan explícitamente algunas fricciones existentes en el proceso de intercambio. En este marco teórico, que considera al dinero como esencial, se introduce el robo y la informalidad (medida por la evasión fiscal), como factores que afectan el uso de efectivo y, por tanto, la competencia con otro medio de pago. Adicionalmente, se considera la segmentación en el mercado de pagos mediante la heterogeneidad en el lado de los vendedores, suponiendo diferentes niveles de productividad, para explicar la preferencia por el efectivo o por los pagos electrónicos. Los efectos de estas distorsiones se modelan bajo tres estructuras de mercado diferentes en la provisión de los pagos electrónicos, las cuales se comparan con los resultados del planificador social. En el primer caso, la plataforma de pago electrónico es proporcionada por una empresa pública como un servicio gratuito; en el segundo caso, un monopolio privado proporciona la plataforma a un costo positivo, y en el tercer caso se analiza la existencia de un duopolio mixto en la provisión de estos servicios de pago. Se demuestra teóricamente que la existencia de un proveedor público en el mercado de pagos podría llevar a las redes privadas a proporcionar estos servicios a un costo menor que en el caso de un monopolio privado, aumentando la cobertura de los pagos digitales y reduciendo el uso de efectivo, lo que implica ganancias en el bienestar social. Este artículo proporciona una base teórica que puede ayudar a los debates actuales sobre la provisión pública de nuevos servicios de pago cuando el mercado ya cuenta con proveedores privados.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos A. Arango-Arango & Yanneth Rocío Betancourt-García, 2024. "A Mixed Duopoly in the Provision of Payment Services," Borradores de Economia 1280, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
  • Handle: RePEc:bdr:borrec:1280
    DOI: 10.32468/be.1280
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ricardo Lagos & Guillaume Rocheteau, 2009. "Liquidity in Asset Markets With Search Frictions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 77(2), pages 403-426, March.
    2. Ricardo Lagos & Randall Wright, 2005. "A Unified Framework for Monetary Theory and Policy Analysis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 113(3), pages 463-484, June.
    3. Morten Linnemann Bech & Umar Faruqui & Frederik Ougaard & Cristina Picillo, 2018. "Payments are a-changin' but cash still rules," BIS Quarterly Review, Bank for International Settlements, March.
    4. Chao Gu & Fabrizio Mattesini & Randall Wright, 2013. "Banking: A New Monetarist Approach," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 80(2), pages 636-662.
    5. Nosal, Ed & Rocheteau, Guillaume, 2011. "Money, Payments, and Liquidity," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262016281, December.
    6. Ricardo Lagos & Guillaume Rocheteau & Randall Wright, 2017. "Liquidity: A New Monetarist Perspective," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(2), pages 371-440, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cash; payment methods; payments services; electronic payments; instant payments; Efectivo; medios de pago; instrumentos de pago; servicios de pago; pagos electrónicos; pagos instantáneos; duopolio mixto.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E40 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - General
    • E41 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Demand for Money
    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy

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