Financial cryptography (FC) is the use of cryptography in applications with strong financial motivation. The German Lorenz cipher machine Cryptography or cryptology is a field of mathematics and computer science concerned with information security and related issues, particularly encryption and authentication. ...

The field found its original inspiration in the work of Dr David Chaum who invented the blinded signature. This special form of a cryptographic signature permitted a coin to be signed without the signer seeing the actual coin, and permitted a form of digital token money that offered untraceability. This form is sometimes known as Digital Cash. David Chaum is the inventor of many cryptographic protocols and has contributed to the advancement of electronic cash. ... In cryptography, a blind signature is a form of digital signature in which the content of a message is disguised (blinded) before it is signed. ... Digital signature (or public-key digital signature) is an encryption scheme for authenticating digital information that should not be confused with ordinary physical signatures on paper or with an electronic signature, but implemented using techniques from the field of public-key cryptography. ... Token Money is Money made from tokens of some form, as opposed to Account Money. ... ...

As a business, FC followed the guide of cryptography and only the simplest ideas were adopted. Account money systems protected by SSL such as PayPal, e-gold and GoldMoney were relatively successful, but DRM, blinded token money and efforts by banks were not. SSL can mean more than one thing: Secure Sockets Layer, a communications protocol. ... PayPal is an Internet business which allows the transfer of money between email users and merchants, avoiding traditional paper methods such as checks/cheques and money orders. ... e-gold is a digital gold currency operated by Gold & Silver Reserve Inc. ... GoldMoney is a digital gold currency founded in 2001 by James Turk. ...

Financial cryptography is frequently seen as of broad scope. Grigg sees financial cryptograpy in seven layers [1], being the combination of seven distinct disciplines: cryptography, software engineering, rights, accounting, governance, value, and financial applications. Business failures can often be traced to missing disciplines or poor application of same. This view has FC as a crossdiscipline subject. Software engineering (SE) is a profession whose members create and maintain software applications by applying technologies and practices from computer science, project management, engineering, application domains and other fields. ... Accountancy (British English) or accounting (American English) is the process of maintaining, auditing, and processing financial information for business purposes. ... Value is worth in general, and it is thought to be connected to reasons for certain practices, policies, actions, beliefs or emotions. ...

See also

• Electronic money
• Payments systems
• Loyalty and corporate monies
• Virtual games
• Funds transfer
• Automatic teller machines
• POS Terminal
• Anonymous internet banking

Electronic money (also known as digital money, electronic currency, digital currency or internet money) refers to money which is only exchanged electronically. ... Outdoor ATMs may be free-standing, like this kiosk, or built into the side of banks or other buildings An automatic teller machine, automated teller machine (ATM) or cash machine is an electronic device that allows a banks customers to make cash withdrawals and check their account balances without... EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer Point of Sale) is a device by which sales transactions can be directly debited to the customers bank account at the point of sale, through the use of a debit card (generally the same card used with ATMs). ... The introduction of this article does not provide enough context for readers unfamiliar with the subject. ...

External links

• International Financial Cryptography Association
• Fincrypt weblog
• Financial Cryptography weblog
• Contracts with bearer