We present a simple, finite-state search model to understand how the cross-sectional distribution of money affects its value. We first document a network effect: the value of a given unit of money is higher when its distribution is even, rather than skewed. We also find some distributions to be...

This paper studies the efficiency of electronic money system by focusing on the decentralized setting of issuance. In the model competitive money issuers can create small denominated money (or e-money) backed by large denominated government bonds. Under the decentralized environment the issuers...