Trustee-based tracing extensions to anonymous cash and the making of anonymous change
Ernie Brickell, Peter S. Gemmell, David W. Kravitz · 1995
Electronic cash is a subject of great economic, political, and research importance. With advances in computer networks, in processor speed, and in databases and with advances in note counterfeiting technology and with both individuals' and businesses' desire for remote and more convenient financial transactions, some forms of electronic cash are likely to become widespread within 5 to 10 years. While unconditionally anonymous electronic cash systems have been proposed in the literature, governmental and financial institutions are unwilling to back a completely anonymous system. Instead, they have proposed systems with little or no protection for the users' privacy. Their reasons for opposing complete untraceability have to do with the containment of user fraud and the desire to restrict the new kinds of crime that unrestricted remotely withdrawable and spendable electronic cash could facilitate. We introduce the first electronic cash systems which incorporate trustee-based tracing but...