an Overview of the cryptocurrencies; the theory of money perspective

Abstract

Before the invention of writing, which took place around 3200 B.C., commercial activities were carried out with small symbols named "Token", each representing different goods and services. It can be claim that the crypto tokens and crypto coins used today are digital and current versions of historical Tokens. As there is no regular transition from commodity money to fiat money, the transition from paper money to digital will not be outright just like a symmetrical line. Indeed, history is not a linear process. 2008 and 2009 were the years when both the global crisis happened where the trust in the traditional financial system was shaken and Bitcoin and its derivatives emerged as alternative de facto fiscal instruments. It is observed that crypto currencies still cannot fulfil the three basic functions of money. However, in the historical process, the definition and characteristics of money have changed and developed. Based on this thesis and the effect of smart contracts, the cryptocurrency community claims that cryptocurrencies are / will be more than money.