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Eggs in One Basket: Security and Convenience of Digital Currencies

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  • Charles M. Kahn
  • Francisco Rivadeneyra
  • Tsz-Nga Wong

Abstract

Digital currencies store balances in anonymous electronic addresses. We analyze the trade-offs between safety and convenience of aggregating balances in addresses, electronic wallets and banks. In our model agents balance the risk of theft of a large account with the cost to safeguarding a large number of passwords of many small accounts. Account custodians (banks, wallets and other payment service providers) have different objectives and tradeoffs on these dimensions; we analyze the welfare effects of differing industry structures and interdependencies, and in particular the consequences of "password aggregation" programs which in effect consolidate risks across accounts.

Suggested Citation

  • Charles M. Kahn & Francisco Rivadeneyra & Tsz-Nga Wong, 2020. "Eggs in One Basket: Security and Convenience of Digital Currencies," Working Papers 2020-032, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedlwp:88727
    DOI: 10.20955/wp.2020.032
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    1. Mr. Dong He & Mr. Karl F Habermeier & Mr. Ross B Leckow & Mr. V. Haksar & Ms. Yasmin Almeida & Ms. Mikari Kashima & Mr. Nadim Kyriakos-Saad & Ms. Hiroko Oura & Tahsin Saadi Sedik & Natalia Stetsenko &, 2016. "Virtual Currencies and Beyond: Initial Considerations," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2016/003, International Monetary Fund.
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    5. Attar, Andrea & Chassagnon, Arnold, 2009. "On moral hazard and nonexclusive contracts," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(9-10), pages 511-525, September.
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    10. Chiu, Jonathan & Koeppl, Thorsten V, 2017. "The economics of cryptocurrencies – bitcoin and beyond," Working Paper Series 6688, Victoria University of Wellington, School of Economics and Finance.
    11. Jonathan Chiu & Thorsten V. Koeppl, 2017. "The Economics Of Cryptocurrencies - Bitcoin And Beyond," Working Paper 1389, Economics Department, Queen's University.
    12. Dong He & Karl F Habermeier & Ross B Leckow & Vikram Haksar & Yasmin Almeida & Mikari Kashima & Nadim Kyriakos-Saad & Hiroko Oura & Tahsin Saadi Sedik & Natalia Stetsenko & Concha Verdugo Yepes, 2016. "Virtual Currencies and Beyond; Initial Considerations," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 16/3, International Monetary Fund.
    13. Mr. Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli & Maria Soledad Martinez Peria & Mr. Itai Agur & Mr. Anil Ari & Mr. John Kiff & Ms. Adina Popescu & Ms. Celine Rochon, 2018. "Casting Light on Central Bank Digital Currencies," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2018/008, International Monetary Fund.
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    Cited by:

    1. Agur, Itai & Ari, Anil & Dell’Ariccia, Giovanni, 2022. "Designing central bank digital currencies," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 62-79.
    2. Moro, Alessandro & Nispi Landi, Valerio, 2024. "The external financial spillovers of CBDCs," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    3. repec:ecb:ecbdps:202220 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Li, Jiaqi, 2023. "Predicting the demand for central bank digital currency: A structural analysis with survey data," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 73-85.
    5. Charles M. Kahn & Francisco Rivadeneyra, 2020. "Security and convenience of a central bank digital currency," Staff Analytical Notes 2020-21, Bank of Canada.
    6. Charles M. Kahn & Maarten R.C. van Oordt, 2022. "The Demand for Programmable Payments," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-076/IV, Tinbergen Institute.
    7. Daniela Balutel & Marie-Hélène Felt & Gradon Nicholls & Marcel-Cristian Voia, 2024. "Bitcoin awareness, ownership and use: 2016–20," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(1), pages 33-58, January.
    8. Chiu, Jonathan & Wong, Tsz-Nga, 2022. "Payments on digital platforms: Resiliency, interoperability and welfare," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    9. Zhixiu Yu, 2023. "On the Coexistence of Cryptocurrency and Fiat Money," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 49, pages 147-180, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital currencies; wallets; hacking; theft; welfare;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E51 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Money Supply; Credit; Money Multipliers
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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