Analogy: Currency as the Foundational Asset, like Grain in the Marco-Julia Model

A widespread rumor circulates that commercial banks may be unable to provide physical currency to customers who wish to withdraw their funds. This causes a crisis of confidence among the public. What is the most direct and immediate consequence for the banking system, based on the foundational relationship between currency and bank deposits?

The Role of Currency Convertibility in Banking Stability

The Importance of Currency Convertibility

A system of bank deposits can function effectively as a widely accepted medium of exchange and a stable store of value, even if there is no guarantee that those deposits can be converted into physical currency on demand.

Digital Bank's Convertibility Challenge

Match each term with the description that best explains its role in the relationship between currency and the banking system.

The ability of bank deposits to function as a reliable medium of exchange is ultimately secured by the public's confidence in the bank's promise of ________, which is the guaranteed ability to exchange those deposits for physical currency on demand.

A commercial bank is rumored to have insufficient physical currency to meet withdrawal demands. Arrange the following events in the logical sequence that would likely unfold, demonstrating the consequences of a breakdown in the guaranteed convertibility of bank deposits.

A government proposes a new, fully digital banking system where commercial bank deposits are no longer convertible into physical currency. Instead, the government guarantees that these digital deposits will always be accepted for all transactions and taxes at a stable value. Based on the foundational principles of how a banking system maintains public trust, what is the most significant potential vulnerability of this proposed system?

A country's central bank observes growing public anxiety about the stability of its commercial banks. To restore confidence, which of the following actions would be the most effective, based on the fundamental principle that underpins the value of bank deposits?