The Future of Money: Digitalization, Institutions, and Monetary Power

The Future of Money: Digitalization, Institutions, and Monetary Power

We are living through a quiet revolution in money. Cryptocurrencies, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), stablecoins, and platform-based payment systems are reshaping how value is stored, transferred, and governed. But what exactly is changing - and why does it matter?

The Future of Money explores the transformation of monetary systems in the digital era. Moving beyond technological hype, the book grounds the discussion in economic theory, institutional analysis, and historical perspective. It shows how old questions about the nature of money, monetary sovereignty, and the role of the state are returning with renewed urgency.

This book takes readers on a journey through classical and contemporary monetary thought - from Menger and Keynes to crypto-libertarians and institutionalists. It situates digital money within the broader struggle over economic governance, platform capitalism, and geopolitical power. Along the way, it explains key concepts such as fiat vs. commodity money, credit-money systems, decentralized finance (DeFi), and the platformization of payments.

Whether you're an advanced student, policymaker, economist, or simply a curious observer of financial change, The Future of Money offers:

• A clear and critical explanation of how digital money works - and how it differs

• A comparative analysis of CBDCs, stablecoins, and cryptocurrencies

• A framework for understanding the institutional and political stakes of monetary innovation

• Insight into the emerging geopolitics of currency in a multipolar world

This is not a book about getting rich with crypto. It is a book about understanding money - as an institution, a technology, and a site of power. Written in an accessible yet rigorous style, The Future of Money helps readers make sense of one of the most consequential shifts in the global economic order.