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The demand for Swiss banknotes: some new evidence

Author

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  • Katrin Assenmacher

    (European Central Bank)

  • Franz Seitz

    (Weiden Technical University of Applied Sciences)

  • Jörn Tenhofen

    (Swiss National Bank)

Abstract

Knowing the part of currency in circulation that is used for transactions is important information for a central bank. For several countries, the share of banknotes that is hoarded or circulates abroad is sizeable, which may be particularly relevant for large-denomination banknotes. We analyze the demand for Swiss banknotes over a period starting in 1950 to 2017 and use different methods to derive the evolution of the amount that is hoarded. Our findings indicate a sizeable amount of hoarding, in particular for large denominations. The hoarding shares increased around the break-up of the Bretton Woods system, were comparatively low in the mid-1990s, and have increased significantly since the turn of the millennium and the recent financial and economic crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Katrin Assenmacher & Franz Seitz & Jörn Tenhofen, 2019. "The demand for Swiss banknotes: some new evidence," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 155(1), pages 1-22, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sjecst:v:155:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1186_s41937-019-0041-7
    DOI: 10.1186/s41937-019-0041-7
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    Cited by:

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    2. Luca Baldo & Elisa Bonifacio & Marco Brandi & Michelina Lo Russo & Gianluca Maddaloni & Andrea Nobili & Giorgia Rocco & Gabriele Sene & Massimo Valentini, 2021. "Inside the black box: tools for understanding cash circulation," Mercati, infrastrutture, sistemi di pagamento (Markets, Infrastructures, Payment Systems) 7, Bank of Italy, Directorate General for Markets and Payment System.
    3. Muñoz, Manuel A. & Soons, Oscar, 2023. "Public money as a store of value, heterogeneous beliefs, and banks: implications of CBDC," Working Paper Series 2801, European Central Bank.
    4. Vatansever, Berra, 2024. "Informal Economy Rate and Largest Banknote Denomination," MPRA Paper 121957, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Fabio Canetg, 2020. "Monetary Policy Implementation and Pass-Through," Diskussionsschriften dp2004, Universitaet Bern, Departement Volkswirtschaft.
    6. Rösl, Gerhard & Seitz, Franz, 2023. "Uncertainty, politics, and crises: The case for cash," IMFS Working Paper Series 186, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability (IMFS).
    7. Rösl, Gerhard & Seitz, Franz, 2024. "Resilience and the cash infrastructure: The role of access, acceptance, availability, and affordability," Weidener Diskussionspapiere 93, University of Applied Sciences Amberg-Weiden (OTH).
    8. Hans-Eggert Reimers & Friedrich Schneider & Franz Seitz, 2020. "Payment Innovations, the Shadow Economy and Cash Demand of Households in Euro Area Countries," CESifo Working Paper Series 8574, CESifo.
    9. Kotkowski, Radoslaw, 2023. "National culture and the demand for physical money during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    10. Claussen, Carl Andreas & Segendorff, Björn & Seitz, Franz, 2023. "Cash for Transactions or Store-of-Value? A comparative study on Sweden and peer countries," Working Paper Series 427, Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden).
    11. Rösl, Gerhard & Seitz, Franz, 2021. "Cash and crises: No surprises by the virus," IMFS Working Paper Series 150, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability (IMFS).
    12. Christian Stettler, 2020. "Loss Averse Depositors and Monetary Policy around Zero," KOF Working papers 20-476, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    13. Muñoz, Manuel A. & Soons, Oscar, 2024. "Public money as a store of value, heterogeneous beliefs and banks: implications of CBDC," ESRB Working Paper Series 146, European Systemic Risk Board.
    14. Ilona Skibińska-Fabrowska & Małgorzata Czuchryta & Adrian Żak, 2023. "The relationship between payment inclusion and the demand for cash," Bank i Kredyt, Narodowy Bank Polski, vol. 54(4), pages 365-388.
    15. Lalouette, Laure & Zamora-Pérez, Alejandro & Rusu, Codruta & Bartzsch, Nikolaus & Politronacci, Emmanuelle & Delmas, Martial & Rua, António & Brandi, Marco & Naksi, Martti, 2021. "Foreign demand for euro banknotes," Occasional Paper Series 253, European Central Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Currency in circulation; Cash; Demand for banknotes; Hoarding of banknotes; Banknotes held by non-residents;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E41 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Demand for Money
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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