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Working Paper

Currency Competition in a Fundamental Model of Money

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We study how two fiat monies, one safe and one risky, compete in a decentralized trading environment. The equilibrium value of the two currencies, their transaction velocities and agents' spending patterns are endogenously determined. We derive conditions under which agents holding diversified currency portfolios spend the safe currency first and hold the risky one for later purchases. We also examine when the reverse spending pattern is optimal. Traders generally favor dealing in the safe currency, unless trade frictions and the currency risk is low. As risk increases or trading becomes more difficult, the transaction velocity and value of the safe money increases.
11.01.2003ISSN 2573-7953 WP 03-11DOI 10.26509/frbc-wp-200311
Keywords money, currency substitution, search
JEL Classification Codes E4, E5, D7

Working Papers of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland are preliminary materials circulated to stimulate discussion and critical comment on research in progress. They may not have been subject to the formal editorial review accorded official Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland publications. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not represent the views of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland or the Federal Reserve System.

Suggested Citation

Camera, Gabriele, Ben R. Craig, and Christopher Waller. 2003. “Currency Competition in a Fundamental Model of Money.” Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Working Paper No. 03-11. https://doi.org/10.26509/frbc-wp-200311