There are two main groups of electronic money, which are divided by the type of media (Figure 8).

Rice. 8

Smart cards are multipurpose plastic cards with built-in chips (microprocessors).

A money file is recorded on their chip - the equivalent of money, previously transferred to the issuer of these cards. Bank customers transfer money from their accounts to smart cards, transactions on which are carried out within the limits of the amounts credited to them. The mode of maintaining a personal account of a smart card differs from the mode of maintaining a personal account of traditional cards. An ordinary card in itself does not contain information about the state of the account, it is only a tool for accessing the current account. At the time of bank transfer Money to a card account to which a regular payment card is linked, to the bank card no enrollment is made. At the time of replenishment of the smart card funds, the balance on the personal account is reduced by the amount by which the card was replenished. Electronic cash appears on the card, as a result of which it becomes possible and safe (in terms of the occurrence of an overdraft on the account) to authorize transactions offline. Examples of such maps are shown in Figure 9.

Rice. nine electronic money based on smart cards

Smart cards have their advantages and disadvantages (Figure 10).

Rice. 10

ASSIST can serve as an example of a successful payment system in Russia. It has passed the stage of formation together with the famous and most popular online store in our country OZON.ru. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it provides modules for electronic stores that help to accept all types of payment means - these are plastic cards, and Yandex.Money, and WebMoney, as well as its own cards based on an assistid number. Thus, electronic money based on smart cards is a monetary value stored on bank multi-purpose cards in a virtual form. This value can be used for payments to the card issuer, individual or legal entity. Currently, smart cards issued by non-bank organizations, such as telephone, medical or transport cards, have become widespread. Typically, these cards are used to pay for the services of only one company.

On the basis of networks (network-based) - this is electronic money that works on the basis of software system presented as a program or network resource. These systems make extensive use of data encryption and electronic digital signature. This type of calculation is widely used to pay for goods of online stores, services of employees on remote work or playing time in online games. An example of these systems is WebMoney, Yandex.Money, RUpay, E-gold, E-port, PayCash, MoneyMail, CyberPlat, Rapida, QIWI, [email protected], etc.

This money is currently the most common, most convenient and secure means of payment.

On the basis of networks, fiat and non-fiat electronic money are distinguished (Figure 11).

Rice. eleven

Now consider fiat electronic money on the example of "PayPal".

The payment system "PayPal" is quite well known in Russia, although it does not work with Russian clients. It is a debit system using the concept of electronic money.

There are two main types of accounts in PayPal: for US citizens and international (for non-US citizens). The US Citizens Account provides more options but requires disclosure of customer information, up to registration number taxpayer. Quite a lot of foreign online stores and service companies are connected to PayPal. Therefore, some Russian citizens connect to the system by distorting their registration data (substituting non-existent addresses in Europe, the USA, etc.). This method is not safe and is not recommended. The payment system has more than 100 million customers worldwide and accepts payments from VISA, MasterCard credit cards and insures the payment. PayPal is the largest online payment system. A huge number of online stores and online auctions trade through it. A buyer who paid for a purchase through PayPal and was deceived by the seller can open a dispute and demand a refund from PayPal. That is why cases of fraud when working through this payment system are very rare. A huge number of sites accept payment through "PayPal" and by credit card.

Also, fiat electronic money includes: the African payment system "M-Pesa" - this system operates in Kenya and Tanzania and is a provider of payment services and the Ukrainian electronic payment system GlobalMoney (GlobalMoney).

We now turn to the consideration of non-fiat money based on networks. Electronic non-fiat money is an electronic unit of value of non-state payment systems, respectively, emission, circulation and redemption occurs according to the rules of non-state payment systems.

There are such electronic payment systems in Russia as WebMoney, Yandex.Money, Qiwi, RUpay, E-gold, E-port, PayCash, MoneyMail, CyberPlat, Rapida, etc. Most of the systems are not anonymous or partially anonymous. Almost any online store offers payment for goods through these systems.

Each user chooses the most suitable option.

This can be compared, for example, with the operator cellular communication. In order to choose the right campaign, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with all the proposed types of mobile operators, with their rules, with the size of the commission that they charge for the transaction, in turn, some campaigns provide bonuses for using their system.

Of course, often, users choose their most popular system and believe that it is better than the rest, the most optimal. Since there will be fewer problems with depositing / withdrawing funds in this kind of system, it is supported by many Internet resources. WebMoney can be attributed to such a system. This system is the most popular on the Internet today and has a very high degree of protection, in connection with which users practically do not worry about the safety of their money. It is gradually merging into the financial market - with the involvement of WebMoney, they are already conducting auctions, selling shares, precious metals, and many other operations.

The second most popular type of electronic money is the well-known Yandex.Money system. Its main difference from the WebMoney system is that it has one universal account, which is measured in rubles.

The next system QIWI Wallet is a payment system that allows you to make payments for services and money transfers from a mobile phone operating in the GSM standard. The system allows you to pay mobile phone, Internet access, pay TV and many other services without interest and commissions in any place where GSM phones work.

The legal space of the QIWI Wallet system is the Russian Federation. For settlements in the system, the electronic currency Mobile Wallet RUB is used, the equivalent of Russian rubles.

Consider the above-mentioned most famous payment systems ("Webmoney", "QIWI", "Yandex.Money"): on what principle they operate, what functions they perform in comparison (Table 7).

Table 7 Comparison of the most famous payment systems in the Russian Federation

So, with the help of electronic money, you can make purchases in online stores, pay for receipts, mobile and city communications, programs, deposit money into an account in social media, online games, buy coupons, air and railway tickets, transfer money and much more.

To do this, there are two types of electronic money (based on smart cards and based on networks). Use existing species electronic money is not difficult. It is enough to log into your account, select the desired operation, enter the required amount and make a payment.

As a result, we can say that the choice of the system depends entirely on the user, therefore, you should give preference to the campaign you like, pay with electronic money and not worry about their safety. With care, they won't go anywhere!

The development of e-commerce and Internet earnings has led to the rapid development of electronic payment systems (EPS), which offer each user of the World Wide Web to use electronic money for various purposes.

At the moment, there are already several dozen payment systems in Russia alone, and even more in the world. Of course, not all of them are heard. Of course, it will not be possible to cover all EPS, but we will consider the most popular ones.

Payment systems in Russia

There are several leading payment systems in Russia. In each case, you need to choose exactly according to your needs.
For example, Qiwi is truly a "people's" system and everyone who knows what payment acceptance terminals work with it.
At the same time, WebMoney is used by almost everyone who earns in the Russian-speaking part of the Runet.
Yandex Money and other electronic wallets have their own audience.

You can withdraw electronic money from Qiwi different ways(through instant payment systems, on Bank details or to payment cards), but in most of them you will be charged a certain percentage (commission).
But still, there is a method of interest-free and quite convenient withdrawal of funds - order a QIWI Visa Plastic plastic card from them, with which you can pay for purchases both on the Internet and in regular stores, and no commission will be charged for this.

This electronic money does not have such popularity outside the Internet (like Qiwi). Not so many users pay with the help of a communal apartment, but the main part of the money earned in Runet is received and withdrawn from this Internet payment system.

This system attracts by the fact that you can attach a plastic card to your wallet, so that later you can use it to pay in the store and in all other places where MasterCard is accepted. At the same time, the account on the electronic wallet is equated to the balance on the card and no interest is charged for such use of it (the commission is charged only when withdrawing money through an ATM).
A very convenient way to withdraw money earned on the Internet.

The main purpose of electronic money from mail.ru is to make Internet payments, for which the tariffs were optimized - you will not be charged interest for entering and paying for goods in online stores. But for an internal transfer, and even more so for a withdrawal, a commission is provided (withdrawing money into real money through Mail.ru generally turns out to be very unprofitable, compared to other payment systems).

In general, they are ideal for those who use them to pay for games on Mail.ru or any other services, and also receive transfers within the system.

Most recently, Money Mail.ru was swallowed up by the insatiable QIWI.

International payment systems

PayPal is fiat electronic money, unlike many other payment systems. The purpose of creating this system was to ensure the security of payments with a card linked to the account. In this case, you do not burn the card details, and also receive some guarantee from the system regarding the delivery of goods paid through Paypal.

If the product was not delivered or it turned out to be of poor quality, then there is a very real chance of returning the money by opening a dispute (within one and a half months after payment). How to read more on our website.

This system also has its drawbacks, of course. In my opinion, there are very high interest rates for replenishing the wallet (compared to the giants of Runet payments we are used to), but in many cases it still turns out to be more profitable than using some other payment systems or schemes for withdrawing money from the Internet.
How to start, read on our website.

Verification in the system is not required, and you can completely receive, deposit and withdraw money from Perfect Money anonymously. But… If the system suspects that you are committing fraudulent activities, your wallet may be blocked.

Read more about on our website.

OKPay, like Payeer or Perfect Money, allows operations to withdraw money from "pyramids" or gambling. True, the limit of payments passing through an unverified account (without verifying your identity) is limited. Just like in Perfect Money, here you are paid as much as 3% for finding money in your account, which is a bit unusual for electronic wallets.

The main use of Payza in Russia and Runet may be to receive Internet money earned abroad, withdraw it or transfer it to another user of this system.

How to start, read on our website.

Everything in this world is constantly changing, and of course money is changing. People are gradually moving to electronic currency. But not everyone knows what electronic money is and how to use it. Many people think that electronic money is ordinary paper money, which is simply used to pay for Internet services. In fact, electronic money is virtual, conditionally invented banknotes that have the power of real paper money.

Where does electronic money come from?
Like any money, electronic money needs to be earned. The Internet is an unlimited source of earning electronic real money. Everyone earns their money in their own way, someone writes articles to order, someone plays poker, someone who sells shampoo or candles, someone plays on the stock exchange.

What can be bought with electronic money?
Almost everything. On the Internet, you can buy a house, an apartment, a car, or just a pack of pasta with home delivery. If we talk about the Russian-language Internet, then we mainly use electronic money to buy electronic equipment, cell phones, books, jewelry and cosmetics. In the west, many people have stopped going to conventional stores altogether. Since it is more convenient to buy in virtual stores than in ordinary ones. A person simply visits the website of the store he needs, searches for the necessary product, compares prices with other stores, and then orders home delivery. Convenience is that, firstly, a person saves his time. For example, you can choose a sofa at lunchtime, after work, by this time, the sofa will have already been delivered to the buyer's home, you can already relax on new furniture.
Secondly, no one puts pressure on the buyer and does not try to foist goods he does not need. That is, no consultant-seller will get on his nerves with his attempts to sell stale goods. Thirdly, any product, even a handkerchief, can be ordered with home delivery. In the USA, for example, in many electronic stores, delivery within the country is free. In our electronic stores, very expensive. The cost of delivery is made up of the weight of the goods, the commission for work and the distance to the buyer. So, for example, if you buy the cheapest shampoo on OZON.RU for 100 rubles, then its delivery, for example, to Nizhny Novgorod, will cost 250 rubles. That is 2.5 times more expensive than the product itself. Of course, if the owners of online stores do not figure out how to reduce the cost of delivery, then it is unlikely that online shopping will be in great demand in Russia.

How to use electronic money?
There are special computer programs for working with electronic money. The program is very popular in Russia WEB MONEY. The so-called electronic wallet is downloaded from the site of the same name, installed on your home computer, wallets are created in the desired currency (rubles, dollars, euros, etc.), and then you can use your money. The program is easy to use, although it has flaws in terms of money security.

How to convert electronic money into real rubles.
In order to convert electronic currency into paper currency, you need to come to the exchange office with a passport, having previously sent the electronic payment and your secret password to the wallet of the exchange office. At the exchange office, after you show your passport and name your secret password (you come up with this password and only you know it too), the cashier will give you your legal real paper money, only take a commission for services, about 4% of the amount.

Advantages of electronic money.
With electronic money, you can replenish the balance of your cell phone without leaving your home, and without any commission. Electronic money can be used to pay for the Internet, communal payments, any goods that are sold in online stores. Electronic money saves time, and sometimes when paying with electronic money, some online stores make discounts.

Economists believe that electronic money is the future. Since they allow you to avoid queues at the bank, at the post office, in the store, and therefore save the most precious thing - our time.

You will learn the names of electronic money, which are the most popular in Russia, how and where you can buy such means of payment, and what are the features of their cashing out.

Good afternoon, dear readers! With you is Denis Kuderin, editor-in-chief and part-time expert of the HeatherBober magazine on financial topics.

I work remotely and receive my salary via the Internet, namely through online banking and through electronic payment systems (EPS). I have accounts in at least 5 of these services, and I use them more or less regularly. Electronic money is convenient, fast and reliable, provided that you use it correctly.

I will tell you what are the pros and cons of electronic money, how to properly dispose of them, which wallets are preferable for domestic and which for international payments.

You will learn how profitable it is to cash out digital money, where is the lowest commission, and why it is impossible to put an equal sign between WMR and rubles.

1. What is electronic money and how did it appear

It is useful to know about electronic money for everyone who intends to use or already uses money transactions on the Internet. If you want to pay for the services of a provider, send money to your phone, buy a bike in an online store, get paid for the work done by a designer, author, translator, payment systems will become your reliable assistant.

EPS has only one alternative - Internet banking. But not all service providers, customers and employers support financial settlements through a bank. For some it is expensive, for others it is not profitable, for others it is inconvenient. EDs provide additional freedom of action in this regard.

What is electronic money (ED) from a legal point of view? This is a kind of obligation assumed by the issuing organization. They represent the equivalent of real money stored on an online resource. This is part of the virtual financial market.

What is the level of reliability of non-cash systems in comparison with banks? Compare Vulnerability personal internet account in a bank and an account in the EPS, it will be difficult for a non-specialist.

The developers assure that both in the bank and in virtual wallets your funds will be kept equally secure. But a bank is still a bank, that is, a place, by definition, intended for storing money. And EPS is first of all a service for virtual payments and only then storage.

Hence the conclusion: storing large amounts on electronic wallets is not the most reasonable step. Keep funds here for operating expenses and day-to-day payments. The rest is best kept in a bank account.

History reference:

The need for remote electronic payments appeared almost immediately after the widespread use of the Internet. The first full-fledged EPS appeared in 1997. In Russia, it was a platform called CyberPlat, which allows instant payments through secure channels.

The first online payment in the Russian Federation was made in 1998. In the same year, the WebMoney platform, which has been successfully operating to this day, was launched. The date of the first transaction is November 1998. Now WebMoney Transfer has more than 36 million users worldwide.

The legal regulation of the status of ED is regulated by the Federal Law on PS of 2016.

ED is the equivalent of real monetary units. They perform the same function as regular money and are legally taxed. Some services even issue plastic cards that have the same capabilities as traditional banking plastic.

Personally, I have a YandexMoney plastic card, which I successfully pay in supermarkets, coffee houses, cinemas and wherever there are acquiring machines.

The only disadvantage of this card is a 3% commission for cash withdrawals. But some banking products also offer interest on withdrawals, so this is a relative minus.

We list the main advantages of ED:

1. Convenience– most payments and transfers are made in one click.
2. Reliability- if necessary, you set up confirmation of transactions by SMS: no one except you will know the code for the operation.
3. Durability- money is stored in the wallet for as long as you need.
4. Liquidity– transfer virtual funds to real ones at any time.
5. Anonymity– if desired, the recipient and sender remain unknown.
6. Security- all EPS use modern algorithms for protecting funds and transactions.
7. Round the clock work- services are automatic and work seven days a week.
8. Versatility– almost all banks, online stores and service sites accept electronic payments.
9. Counterfeit protection- in in electronic format You will not receive a counterfeit banknote.
10. Portability and comfort using.

Among the disadvantages of virtual coins are the presence of a commission for some operations, the risk of account hacking by intruders, loss of access to the wallet if the data for authorization is lost.

The last drawback is not difficult to eliminate if you go through a full identification. For example, in Poison, for this you need to come to the office of the organization (or to the Euroset salon) with a passport and pay 50 rubles. After that, it will be easier to restore access in case of loss of the password and code word.

To use EPS, a person only needs access to the network, an ATM or a card issued by a payment system. But I have to warn you - not all countries accept electronic payments. In the case of traveling abroad, it is more reasonable to use the international EPS Visa and MasterCard.

2. Ways to use electronic currency

The main scope of ED is settlements between users (individuals, companies, public organizations).

Payments are made instantly thanks to modern digital technologies. This distinguishes EPS from transactions with bank accounts, which are often delayed for several hours or even days.

Consider all the ways to use virtual money.

Method 1. Internet payments

This is the main use case - payments on the Internet for goods, services, work performed. Money from an electronic account is sent to other wallets, bank cards, accounts of organizations and individuals.

Payments are available around the clock. Pay when it is convenient for you, purchases, utilities, Internet providers, mobile operators, public services, traffic police fines and more. All transactions are tracked and stored in the transaction history.

If required, you will receive a check with the details and the date of payment by mail. Print it out and use it as proof of payment.

Method 2. ATMs

Terminals and ATMs are another popular tool for using digital money.

With the help of hardware replenish accounts, pay for purchases, receive cash.

Method 3. Credit cards

Some systems allow you to pay with credit funds when paying for purchases in stores, supermarkets, hotels and other places.

In addition, you have the right to pay off expenses from credit bank cards with electronic money.

Method 4. Bank checks

You transfer the ED to a bank account, then withdraw funds from a bank or ATM.

Another option is to send electronic money using international EPS, the recipient receives the transfer at the bank. The method is not the fastest, but sometimes it is the only possible one.

3. What are the types of money on the Internet

I have used all three of the EPS below and can reliably point out the advantages and disadvantages of each service.

I want to warn you in advance that it is beneficial to use these EDs only for internal settlements on the territory of the Russian Federation and neighboring countries. Make transactions with Europe, the USA and other countries through other services.

1) WebMoney

The oldest PS in Runet. It is noteworthy that it is used not only in the Russian Federation and neighboring countries, but also in some Western European states.

WebMoney has several types of currencies:

• WMR - account in rubles;
• WMU - in hryvnias;
• WMZ - in dollars;
• WMB - in Belarusian rubles;
• WMX is in bitcoins.

There are accounts even in litecoins and gold. WebMoney bills are paid through the website or Keeper client, as well as through banks, exchange offices and other payment services.

Cons - the same as other EPS: commissions, difficulties with cash transfers. So, in Kazakhstan, in order to cash out WMR, you need to pay a commission to exchange offices from 10 to 30%.

Among the shortcomings that touched me personally is a complex and long process of identification. To get a personal passport, you need to follow many steps and procedures. Not everyone has the desire and time for such manipulations.

Another point is the difficulty in transferring Keeper (the client for working in the system) to another computer and recovering the password if it is lost.

Many also remember the situation with vague sanctions by companies a few years ago - withdrawing money from any WM accounts was unavailable for a long time. I had to apply complex withdrawal schemes from the account, with a loss of 5 to 10% of funds.

2) Yandex.Money

In the Russian Federation, this is perhaps the most popular platform for online transactions.

There are three types of wallets available to users:

• anonymous;
• nominal;
• identified.

They differ in the amounts that are allowed to be kept on the account, limits on payments and cash withdrawals.

When cashing out funds or transferring to a bank card, you will be charged a 3% commission.

3) Qiwi

Convenient and modern payment system with many terminals throughout Russia and wide range of opportunities. The Qiwi account is tied to a phone number: to enter, you only need your number and password.

The service is convenient for those who are not particularly friendly with the Internet, but use the phone and terminals.

In addition to the above, I want to draw your attention to the PayPal system - if you pay for purchases in foreign online stores or auction sites(for example, on AliExpress or EBay), then this service is ideal.

Services comparison table:

4. How and where you can buy electronic money

Electronic money is easiest to buy where they are most often used, namely on the Internet. To purchase virtual money, you need to register on the website of the system you have chosen and create a virtual wallet.

There are several replenishment options:

1. From a bank card.
2. Cash - through banks, salons of partner companies (for YandexMoney and Qiwi, these are: Euroset, Svyaznoy, Megafon).
3. From a mobile phone account.
4. Through ATMs.
5. From wallets of other payment systems.
6. Through translation services - Unistream, Contact.
7. Through Russian Post and Rostelecom.

Specify the ways of buying ED on the websites of payment companies and from consultants by phone.

Personally, I rarely use such an option as "Replenishment" for the reason that it is more relevant for me inverse function- "Output". But my friends assure that the most popular replenishment option is payment terminals. Transferring from a card is faster, but the system takes a commission for this in the region of 0.8-1%.

5. Features of cashing out

The main feature in this case is obvious: 100 virtual rubles is not 100 real ones. That is, WMR is not the equivalent of RUR. This is a couple of percent less. Different systems take different commissions, and a lot depends on the method of cashing out.

Not all types of wallets and certificates provide cash withdrawal. For example, in WebMoney, cashing out is available only for users who have been identified. And the process itself is not available in all cities of the Russian Federation, but only in those where there is a WebMoney office.

It is much easier to withdraw money to a bank card, and then cash it out at an ATM. Or get an EPS card and also cash it out through an ATM. It's quick and easy, but you'll lose a certain amount - that's what payment companies make money on.

I rarely withdraw cash from the YandexMoney card, but for the experiment I did it at the nearest Sberbank ATM. I lost 3% from 1000 rubles, but now I can say with confidence that the withdrawal is working.

It is much more expedient to use this card to pay for goods directly, by bank transfer. In this case, no interest is charged - neither in supermarkets nor in online stores.

As for the lowest commission for cashing out, the opinions of users are divided. Some believe that WebMoney is more profitable, others that, taking into account all the allowances, this system removes more than poison.

I have practiced both output schemes. At the time of writing, the Yandex service is more convenient and a little cheaper in this regard.

Watch the video on the comparison of virtual wallets:

6. Conclusion

Electronic money is convenient, fast and safe. The user is required to choose the right service in accordance with their needs and follow the rules established in the system.

If a couple of decades ago we would have been informed that in the future mankind would be able to use for calculations not only “real”, but also electronic money, for sure most would be skeptical about this forecast. Meanwhile, today use of electronic money is perceived as quite a common fact - with their help you can pay for goods and services, receive wages or, on the contrary, pay remuneration to an employee, engage in charitable activities and conduct many other financial transactions. Today electronic money systems varied. Each of them has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. And since a modern person definitely cannot do without the use of electronic money, it is important to know how payment systems of this type function, when and how they can make life easier for us, and what types of electronic money exist today ...

We learned about such a term as "electronic money" relatively recently.

Their rapid development began in 1993, and after 10 years, according to studies, electronic money began to be used in 37 countries around the world.

This is not surprising, because they allow you to quickly make settlements with correspondents who can be located almost anywhere in the world. Electronic money in Russia quickly gained popularity, because with their help you can significantly reduce the time and effort spent on transfers and payments. So relatively recently, it became possible to purchase goods for electronic money in online stores, pay bills for the phone or the Internet. Now these means of payment are in no way inferior to their “real” counterparts - such money has a similar value, although at a certain stage of the settlements they do not have any material expression.

Electronic and non-cash money: is there a difference?

A very common misconception is the identification of electronic and non-cash money. Actually, it is not. Electronic money does not act as a substitute for conventional financial resources. They are issued in the same way as non-cash money. The only difference is that a specialized organization takes part in this process, and in the case of non-cash money, the central state bank acts as an issuer.

Also, do not confuse electronic money with credit cards. The cards themselves act as ways to use the client's bank account, and all transactions in this case are made using ordinary money. As for electronic money, they act as a separate means of payment.

Advantages and disadvantages of electronic money

Of course, many will be interested in why they are needed at all. electronic payment systems and electronic money, if they are connected with cash or non-cash funds only indirectly and, at first glance, do not differ from them? Meanwhile, electronic money has a large number of indisputable advantages:

1. Combinability and divisibility - the use of electronic money makes it possible to dispense with the issuance of change.
2. Low cost of issue - there is no need for minting coins, issuing banknotes and the cost of paint, paper, metals and other materials in connection with this.
3. High level of portability - unlike cash, the value of the amount of electronic money is not related to their weight or overall dimensions.
4. Ease in the process of settlements - there is no need to recount electronic money, since this process is automatically carried out using a payment instrument.
5. Simplicity in the organization of physical protection of electronic means of payment.
6. Reducing the impact of the human factor - the moment of payment is always recorded by an electronic system.
7. Save space and time - electronic money does not need to be packed, transported, counted or left in vaults.
8. The impossibility of hiding funds from taxation - we are talking about payments made through fiscalized acquiring devices.
9. Qualitative uniformity - electronic money cannot be damaged, like, for example, banknotes or coins.
10. Ideal persistence - electronic money can retain its qualities for a long period of time.
11. High level of security - electronic money is protected from denomination change, counterfeiting or theft, which is ensured by electronic and cryptographic means.
12. The exchange of electronic money for cash is simple - today electronic money can be withdrawn to a bank card or account, as well as received in cash using the services of specialized organizations.

But, like any other type of means of payment, electronic money has a number of disadvantages:

1. Lack of stable legal regulation- Today, many countries have not yet fully defined the status of electronic money and, therefore, have not developed a number of laws that could regulate the process of mutual settlements carried out through the use of electronic payment systems.
2. Need to use special tools handling and storage.
3. The impossibility of restoring monetary value in the event of the physical destruction of an electronic money carrier - however, cash is not without this drawback.
4. Lack of recognition - the amount of electronic money cannot be determined without special technical means.
5. High probability that the personal data of payers can be tracked by fraudsters.
6. Low level of security - in the absence of the necessary security measures, electronic money can be easily stolen directly from the owner's account

Forms of electronic money

It is believed that modern electronic money can exist in two main forms: based on networks and based on smart cards. There are also such forms of electronic money as fiat and non-fiat money. The former are a kind of money of a certain payment system and are expressed in the form of one of the state currencies.

Since it is the state in its laws that obliges citizens to accept fiat money for payment, their emission, redemption and circulation is carried out in accordance with the rules of the current legislation and the central bank.

As for non-fiat money, they act as a unit of value of non-state payment systems. Such electronic money is a type of credit financial means and is regulated by the rules of non-state payment systems, which are different in each country.

Types of electronic money

Types of electronic money are quite diverse. A few years ago, there were a limited number of payment systems in the world. Today, their number is constantly growing. For convenience, all electronic money and systems should be divided into domestic and foreign ones.

Electronic money in Russia is represented by the following systems:

1. Webmoney - perhaps today it is one of the most popular payment systems that work with electronic money.
The system does not set any restrictions, allows you to make instant money transfers, and to make a transaction it is not at all necessary to open a bank account or provide complete information about yourself. System users can correspond and conduct transactions via secure channels by creating electronic wallets WMZ (dollars), WMR (rubles), WME (euro) and so on. The level of security when making transactions using Webmoney is quite high. However, users' wallets are often hacked by hackers. It is very difficult to return the funds afterwards - the exception is cases when the account owner or the system management is looking for a criminal in hot pursuit. Needless to say, it's not easy? But, at the same time, Webmoney constantly informs users about the measures that they can take to protect themselves. And they really do work.

2. Yandex money is another popular payment system that is similar to Webmoney in many ways.
Yandex money allows you to make instant payments within the limits of the system. The ability to manage the wallet directly from the official website, a high degree of protection and confidentiality, and the speed of settlements between users of the system are the main advantages that made Yandex money popular in Russia.

3. RBK Money is a kind of prototype of the Rupay payment system.
Electronic money transfer in this case is carried out instantly. All funds are equivalent to the ruble, and you can withdraw them to a bank card or account. To make a transaction, a mobile phone, computer, communicator is used. The main advantage of RBK Money is the ability to make payments for public Utilities, telephone, Internet quickly and easily.

4. ASSIST - a system created by Reksoft, a leader in system integration and development consulting software solutions and introduction of information technologies.
One of the main tasks of this system is to ensure payments for credit cards when making purchases in the Ozon online store. True, the development of electronic money subsequently led to the fact that ASSIST began to be used to pay for goods and services of a different nature.

Less well-known, but no less popular in Russia are also considered:

5. CG PAY
6.CHRONOPAY
7. CYBERPLAT
8. E-PORT
9 MONYMAIL
10.RUNET
11. SimMP
12. Z-PAYMENT
13. PILOT
14. TELEBANK
15. RAPID
16. RAMBLER

As for foreign types of electronic money and payment systems that work with them, their choice is also great:

1. PayPal is a large debit electronic payment system that allows you to work with 18 national currencies. Since 2002, PayPal has been a division famous company eBay.

PayPal payments are made through a secure connection. The registration procedure involves the transfer of a small amount of money from the user's card to the account. After the identity of the account and card holder is confirmed, the funds will be returned. Registering and transferring funds using PayPal is free. The commission is paid only by the recipient of the payment, and its amount depends on the country of residence and status in the PayPal system.

2. Mondex - this system was developed by British banks and operates, for the most part, in Europe and Asia.
Mondex involves the issuance of a special smart card to the client, on which there is a chip - a kind of analogue of an electronic wallet. It is on it that electronic cash is stored - cash, which acts in the system in the status of a cash equivalent. The advantages of electronic cash are the possibility of making purchases via the Internet, storing electronic money in five currencies at once, and transferring funds to a correspondent without intermediaries. Mondex funds are accepted by many restaurants, shops, airlines, hotels, gas stations - 32 million enterprises worldwide that operate in the field of trade and services.

3. Visa Cash is a prepaid smart card that allows you to quickly and easily pay for small expenses. With Visa Cash, you can pay for movie or theater tickets, telephone conversations, newspapers, goods and services. The convenience of using Visa Cash is that you can quickly transfer a fairly large amount from your personal bank account to it.

4. E-gold is an international payment system that involves investing in precious metals.
Playing at gold rates, you can receive electronic money and carry out various financial transactions with their help. The main advantages of the E-gold system are anonymity, transnationality and the availability of profitable affiliate program. At the same time, a fee is charged for storing money in the system every month. The same applies to transfers - for each transaction you will have to pay a certain percentage. You can always replenish your account using transfers from Yandex-money, Webmoney, etc. systems. Also, electronic money exchangers can cope with this function quite well.

In addition, among the well-known foreign payment Internet systems are:
5. CASHKASSA
6.ALERTPAY
7. EASYPAY
8. EMONEY
9. LIBERTY
10. MONEYBOOKERS
11. CHECKFREE
12. Cybermint
13. DATA CASH
14. DIGITCASH
15. EPASPORTE
16. FETHAND
17. GOLDMONEY
18. GOOGLE-CHECK
19.NETCASH
20. PAYMER
21.PECUNIX

If you decide to use electronic money: some tips for beginners

The first thing you need to remember is that electronic money is quite "real" and losing it can hurt you a lot.

That is why, do not be lazy to study the instructions of a particular payment system, pay close attention to ensuring the security of your account or account. Sometimes it is easier to purchase a special anti-virus program or a utility for detecting hacker attacks than later to lose a large amount of money, which will simply be stolen from your account.

Second, study the conditions for withdrawing, depositing and exchanging electronic money.

Each payment system offers the user its own conditions. Today, it is quite possible to exchange electronic money within two systems or currencies on favorable terms. The same applies to the input and output of electronic means of payment. In the first case, you can use terminals, and in the second, you can transfer money to a card, bank account or receive it in cash by contacting specialized organizations.

And finally, the third - do not give up the opportunity to use electronic money.

Today they are successfully used in various countries of the world as a means of payment for goods, works, services. Experts are already saying that in the coming years the number of people using electronic money for settlements will steadily grow. This is not surprising, because you only need to try to carry out any financial transaction using electronic money once, and you will also understand that it is convenient and simple!

Electronic money today: legislative news

A few years ago, electronic money was not equated to their paper counterpart. However, in connection with the expansion of the scope of their use, new ideas about means of payment appeared, and it became necessary to regulate such relations in a legislative manner. So on June 27, 2011, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a new one, which will make it possible to regulate the procedure for making payments using electronic money.

This bill was adopted in December last year, but due to the amendments that were made to it over a long period of time, the document was signed only in June 2011. The main purpose of the law "On the National Payment System" is to establish requirements for payment systems in the area of ​​their functioning and organization.

The bill describes the rules for the transfer of funds, and also introduces the concept of "clearing center". This status is played by an organization that ensures the acceptance for execution of applications from participants in the payment system at the time when they transfer their funds using electronic forms calculations. In addition, the law introduces 3 types of means of payment that can be used in the process of electronic payments (the properties of the systems are listed below):
1. Non-personalized electronic means of payment:
- user identification is not performed;
- the maximum balance at any time is 15 thousand rubles;
- the limit on the turnover of funds per month is 40 thousand rubles;
- use for mini-payments.

2. Personalized electronic means of payment:
- identification of the client is carried out;
- the maximum amount of funds on the account is 100 thousand rubles per month.

3. Corporate electronic payment instruments:
- can be used legal entities with their preliminary identification;
- the maximum balance of funds at the end of the working day is 100 thousand rubles;
- allow the acceptance of electronic money as payment for services and goods.

It should be noted that the law "On the National Payment System" will also have an impact on the regulation of mobile payments. The operator of the electronic payment system will be able to conclude an agreement with a mobile operator. Based on this, he will be entitled to increase the balance of electronic funds individual, which is a subscriber given operator, at the expense of financial resources paid in advance to the telecom operator. One can even say that the new bill has created all the conditions for using a mobile phone as a device for making various types of payments.

In general, it can be seen that every year electronic payment systems and electronic money are becoming increasingly popular. Do not miss the opportunity to feel the comfort of using them, because electronic payments can really make the payment process more convenient!