Between Payments and Credit

In unpacking credit relationships and payments over the past 1000 years in addition to how technological innovations are shifting the credit relationships/payments landscape – from barter, commodity money, single layered to dual-layered financial money systems and from CBDC to stablecoins – this book systematically explores the various techniques that have been introduced in an attempt to improve the organisation, efficiency and stability of the IOU economy as a way to mitigate or prevent the universal challenge of the IOU economy from binding. In doing so, the book first unpacks how credit relationships, payments and economic life have developed throughout history, and sheds light on how the adoption of various techniques have led to greater efficiencies in payments across time. In addition, the book also explores how technological innovations are shifting the credit relationships/payments landscape. Subsequently, the book demonstrates how the adoption of five major techniques have to a large extent mitigated (but not eliminated) the threat of the universal challenge of the IOU economy from arising. With this, the book also envisages that the adoption of systems of financial accounts provides a didactic framework for those who are interested in studying topics in credit relationships and payments at an intermediate/advanced level (e.g. masters level university students, academics etc.). George Pantelopoulos was awarded his PhD by the University of Newcastle, and currently teaches at the University of Newcastle. In 2023, George co-authored the text “Introduction to Payments and Financial Market Infrastructures” with Ulrich Bindseil (Director General of Payments and Market Infrastructures - European Central Bank). In addition to a series of publications in a number of highly ranked journals in the fields of both monetary and international economics, George has also published with the European Central Bank.