摘要 |
Systems and methods are provided for constructing a digital money from concatenated or otherwise linked bit strings. Several applications of digital coins include (i) means to secure the use of money according to the prevailing understanding between payer and payee, (ii) a method by which a mint entity that mints and redeems digital money collaborates with traders to jointly earn interest, or jointly gamble in the stock market, or other markets, (iii) a method by which a mint entity that mints and redeems digital money collaborates with merchants, their customers, and credit-extending entities (CEE) to allow the CEE to extend credit to selected group of customers, so that these customers can shop with any participating merchant, and (iv) a method for utility consumption on a real-time basis by splitting digital coins at a rate that pays exactly for the utility measure being consumed. |