Post
Topic
Board Bitcoin Discussion
Re: P2P Cash or Settlement Layer?
by
flix
on 19/03/2016, 16:54:27 UTC

People keep saying that yet nobody provided a single definition of P2P Cash. I'm still waiting for a clear definition so that discussing would make sense.


OK... let me give it a shot:

-Cash: A token of value used for exchange. eg: a coin.
-Digital cash: A digital token of value used for exchange. eg: 1 BTC
-P2P Cash: A form of cash in which the token's value does not require a third party to the exchange.


However the above definitions refer to bitcoins as the units of value or tokens in a cash system... but for the Bitcoin Network to be an effective P2P Cash transmission system which can be used in a way analogous to how we use physical coins and notes today face to face... it would need to have certain characteristics:

-Open, permissionless system. If you have the token, you can use it.
-Mere Possession of the token is enough. No extra proof is required.
-Payments are simple, fast and have low transaction costs.
-Tokens are fungible.
-Payments are irreversible and final.

...and for it to be P2P:
-Only the voluntary interaction of the 2 parties to a transaction is required. No third party can block the transaction.