Programmable money: the coming battle between financial efficiency and human freedom

One cold morning, a small business owner in a big European city receives a government incentive in its digital wallet. Money appears instantly - no paperwork, delays or intermediaries. However, one detail: funds are for energy only and the offer expires after three months if unused. It cannot leave the country, so “essentially, use it or lose it”. This interface feels natural, balance appears normal. This transaction significantly alters money and today it seems far-fetched organisations such as the Power of the Many, in Holland, are already laying the foundations for energy to be used to pay for transactions. After centuries of passive money transactions, programmable money (currency that executes rules, performs activities and interacts with smart contracts in real time) is changing the ecosystem. Central banks are testing distributed ledger technology to produce digital currencies using financial instruments and software protocols, after theoretical research - these technologies ha…