Cashless Societies and the Rise of the Independent Cryptocurrencies: How Governments Can Use Privacy Laws to Compete with Independent Cryptocurrencies

Many individuals (including governments) envision living in a future world where physical currency is a thing of the past. Many countries have made great strides in their efforts to go cashless. At the same time, there is increasing awareness among citizens of the decreasing amount of privacy in their lives. The potential hazards cashless societies pose to financial privacy may incentivize citizens to hold some of their money in independent cryptocurrencies. This article argues that in order for governments in cashless societies to keep firm control over their money supply, they should enact stronger privacy law protections for its citizens in order to decrease the real or perceived loss of (financial) privacy. This paper compares the privacy laws that exist today in both the United States and the European Union and suggests combining elements of both legal systems in order create a more privacy-friendly legal framework that can enable governments to complete against independent cryptocurrencies. * Matla Garcia Chavolla is a student at Elisabeth Haub School of Law. I am grateful to Professor John T. Bandler for his review of this work and valuable feedback. Any errors are mine.