by Paul-Martin Foss
Mises.org
The ECB officially decided to end production of the €500 note yesterday, with production winding down at the end of 2018. Ostensibly this was done to prohibit the use of the €500 note by criminals and terrorists. While this is just one step in the long-term War on Cash, what might some of the more immediate effects be?
1. Increased Demand – Knowing that the €500 note is going to be phased out, expect those holding cash and those wanting to hold cash in the future to increase their demand for €500 notes. Whether the ECB will cater to this demand by allowing higher amounts of €500 notes to be printed before the ultimate phaseout date remains to be seen.