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# What is Money?

To understand the importance of cryptocurrencies, we first need to understand money. 

The history of money is, in many ways, the history of civilization itself.  For thousands of years, human beings have utilized various forms of currency to build economies and facilitate trade. 

Indeed, money serves three important functions in our economy.  It is used as a:

* **Store of value**:  Money can be saved and used for later
* **Unit of account**:   It serves as a common base for prices
* **Medium of exchange**:  Currency is used to buy goods and services

Ideally, money is durable, portable, divisible, uniform, accepted everywhere and has a limited supply.

                                                                 **The Ideal Properties of Money**

<figure><img src="/files/0kW0Q61j7Hhp4Azn3lBQ" alt=""><figcaption><p>Source: <a href="https://www.stlouisfed.org/education/economic-lowdown-podcast-series/episode-9-functions-of-money"> St. Louis Federal Reserve</a></p></figcaption></figure>

Money has taken many forms over the years – it started with the barter of goods, progressed to trinkets such as seashells then to precious metals, and finally to paper money, plastic cards and electric money.&#x20;

Today, over 90% of currency is electronic, meaning that it has no physical backing and exists only in computers owned by large banks.&#x20;