Can anyone explain to me why the government issues currency for free, but doesn't provide for an electronic equivalent? Instead of having economic transactions being controlled by a giant corporation, shouldn't this be considered an essential function that should be handled by the state?
Denmark has the government-regulated Dankort, which until 2005 charged no fees, and since then has a fixed yearly fee for merchants (rather than a per-transaction or percentage). This can be a pain for visitors as many small shops and restaurants will only accept Dankort.
