International Association for Cryptologic Research

International Association
for Cryptologic Research

IACR News item: 28 June 2015

Hitesh Tewari, Eamon O Nuallain
ePrint Report ePrint Report
This paper introduces a new P2P Electronic Cash system called Netcoin. The purpose of Netcoin is to facilitate inexpensive peer-to-peer monetary transactions on the Web. Its salient features are that it is a traceable system with an efficient mechanism for verifying transactions. Netcoins are reusable and can be easily passed from one user to another. The issuing of virtual currency and verification of transactions are performed by trusted mints, which act as the gateway between the fiat and virtual currency worlds. There is no need to maintain a public ledger, which would inhibit use on a global scale because of rapidly increasing memory and bandwidth requirements. The system is neither inflationary nor deflationary in nature and does not purport a new economic model. As a fiat-backed currency it should not suffer the volatility issues associated with Bitcoin. In this paper the two most prominent electronic payment systems of the last forty years, namely Ecash and Bitcoin, are examined. Netcoin is then introduced in detail and is designed to address the shortcomings of these payment systems.

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