Cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and central bank digital currency open uncharted territory for the nascent economics of new digital money. This Pivot addresses the foundations of the monetary problem raised by Bitcoin and followers, starting with the game theory of Proof-of-Work as rent-seeking contest and a lively account of the different ways of trust that blockchain solutions and monetary institutions are meant to face. In so doing, the authors introduce the relevance of safe assets under the light of the principle of “no questions asked” that characterizes the monetary problem of the...

Cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and central bank digital currency open uncharted territory for the nascent economics of new digital money. This Pivot addresses the foundations of the monetary problem raised by Bitcoin and followers, starting with the game theory of Proof-of-Work as rent-seeking contest and a lively account of the different ways of trust that blockchain solutions and monetary institutions are meant to face. In so doing, the authors introduce the relevance of safe assets under the light of the principle of “no questions asked” that characterizes the monetary problem of the...