The economic sociology of digitalised payment services

Abstract

The article argues that digital means of payment aim at a fundamental change of the everyday economy by thrusting aside traditional banking. It compares the so far successful Paypal service with Bitcoin, which has failed to gain widespread acceptance as a means of payment. However, this is only an interim result, because these payment solutions represent models that are constantly imitated and improved by competitors. The article argues that the core of the development changes the relation of contracts and property, as well as the resulting social relations in market societies.