Currency substitution as an automatic stabilizer

In the presence of frictions, the existing literature shows that currency substitution is detrimental for domestic aggregate stability. This paper singles out the role of currency substitution and shows that diversified currency holdings operate as an automatic stabilizer that mitigates belief-driven cyclical fluctuations in Farmer’s (1997) indeterminate monetary economy. When the foreign inflation rate is lower than the domestic inflation rate, the model’s steady state always displays saddle-path stability. Hence, equilibrium indeterminacy originally present in the domestic country is entirely removed in the presence of diversified currency holdings. When the foreign inflation rate is higher than the domestic inflation rate, then depending on the degrees of currency substitution and relative risk aversion, indeterminacy is either impossible or the requisite level of the foreign inflation rate for indeterminacy is too high to square with data. The stabilizing effect of diversified currency holdings on domestic aggregate stability is robust to whether domestic and foreign currencies display as Edgeworth substitutes or complements, or are additively separable in the household’s preferences.

A WAR WITHOUT INFLATION: THE CASE OF ARGENTINA 1865–1870

ABSTRACT Although paper note issuance increased dramatically in Argentina during the Triple Alliance War, inflation was not significant. This occurred because only a fraction of the increase in paper bills led to an expansion of the money supply, the rest being currency substitution. On the other hand, an increase in the demand for money for transactions was generated by rapid economic growth.

Currency Substitution and Exchange Rate Volatility in Nigeria: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach

This study investigates the relationship between exchange rate volatility and currency substitution in Nigeria, using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. After accounting for the presence of structural breaks, evidence from the findings shows that domestic interest rate and expected changes in exchange rate are important determinants of currency substitution. In addition, there is empirical support for a positive relationship between exchange rate volatility and currency substitution both in the short- and long-run. This implies that higher real exchange rate volatility is associated with an increased level of currency substitution. In view of these findings, the paper calls for sustained efforts by the monetary authority in containing exchange rate volatility and inflation as a way of curbing the spate of currency substitution in the country.

Currency Substitution under Transaction Costs

We consider a setting where agents can choose between two currencies to conduct their goods purchases. The usage of either currency comes with currency-specific transactions costs. For example, purchasing some goods with cryptocurrencies rather than dollars is easier and may avoid taxes. We explore an extension of Schilling-Uhlig (2019), allowing for asymmetry in transaction costs as well as dollar-bitcoin exchange fees. Agents alternate in their role as buyers and sellers, necessitating currency. A central bank steers the dollar inflation path, while bitcoins are in fixed supply. We characterize the nonstochastic equilibrium and the resulting exchange rate dynamics.