We construct a tractable model of divisible money and equilibrium heterogeneity in money balances and prices. We do so by considering randomized monetary trades in a standard search-theoretic model of money where agents can hold multiple units of indivisible 'tokens'. By studying a simple...

An increasing number of central banks implement monetary policy via a channel system or a floor system. We construct a general equilibrium model to study the properties of these systems. We find that a floor system is weakly optimal if and only if the target rate satisfies the Friedman rule....

While both public and private financial agencies supply asset markets with large quantities of information, they do not necessarily disclose all asset-related information to the general public. This observation leads us to ask what principles might govern the optimal disclosure policy for an...

When agents are liquidity constrained, two options exist — borrow or sell assets. We compare the welfare properties of these options in two economies: in one, agents can borrow (issue inside bonds) and in the other they can sell government bonds (outside bonds). All transactions are voluntary,...

Recent monetary models with explicit microfoundations are made tractable by assuming that agents have access to centralized markets after one round of decentralized trade. Given quasi-linear preferences, this makes the distribution of money degenerate which keeps the models simple but precludes...

In many situations, some people hold large money balances but have no particular urgency to spend them while others are liquidity constrained. This problem creates a role for financial intermediaries who accept nominal deposits and make nominal loans. We show that financial intermediation...

We construct a tractable ‘fundamental’ model of money with equilibrium heterogeneity in money balances and prices. We do so by considering randomized monetary trades in a standard search-theoretic model of money where agents can hold multiple units of indivisible ‘tokens’ and can offer...

In monetary models in which agents are subject to trading shocks there is typically an ex-post inefficiency in that some agents are holding idle balances while others are cash constrained. This inefficiency creates a role for financial intermediaries, such as banks, who accept nominal deposits...

We use a general equilibrium model of money to compare the use of `illiquid' government-issued bonds (outside bonds) versus credit (inside bonds) to alleviate buyers' liquidity constraints. We assume all transactions must be voluntary. This implies that the central bank cannot run deflation via...

We study optimal monetary stabilization policy in a DSGE model with microfounded money demand. A search externality creates ‘congestion’ which causes aggregate output to be inefficient. Due to the informational frictions that give rise to money, households are unable to perfectly insure...