Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems Survey of developments in electronic money and internet and mobile payments March 2004 Copies of publications are available from: Bank for International Settlements Press & Communications CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland E-mail:
[email protected] Fax: +41 61 280 9100 and +41 61 280 8100 This publication is available on the BIS website (www.bis.org). © Bank for International Settlements 2004. All rights reserved. Brief excerpts may be reproduced or translated provided the source is cited. ISBN 92-9131-667-9 (print) ISBN 92-9197-667-9 (online) Foreword A number of innovative products for making payments have been developed in recent years, taking advantage of rapid technological progress and financial market development. Transactions made using these innovative products are accounting for an increasing proportion of the volume and value of domestic and cross-border retail payments. The possibility of electronic money taking over from physical cash for most small-value payments continues to evoke considerable interest among both the public and the various authorities concerned, including central banks. Although e-money has not been a very dynamic area in the field of retail payments recently, its development raises policy issues for central banks as regards payment system oversight, the possible implications for central banks’ revenues and the implementation of monetary policy. In view of these potential policy concerns, in 1996 the G10 central bank Governors announced their intention to closely monitor the evolution of electronic money schemes and products and, while respecting competition and innovation, to take any appropriate action if necessary. The Governors asked the BIS to monitor the developments of these new products on a regular and, as far as possible, global basis.