Functions of Money (2024)

Money is often defined in terms of the three functions or services that it provides. Money serves as a medium of exchange, as a store of value, and as a unit of account.

Medium of exchange. Money's most important function is as a medium of exchange to facilitate transactions. Without money, all transactions would have to be conducted by barter, which involves direct exchange of one good or service for another. The difficulty with a barter system is that in order to obtain a particular good or service from a supplier, one has to possess a good or service of equal value, which the supplier also desires. In other words, in a barter system, exchange can take place only if there is a double coincidence of wants between two transacting parties. The likelihood of a double coincidence of wants, however, is small and makes the exchange of goods and services rather difficult. Money effectively eliminates the double coincidence of wants problem by serving as a medium of exchange that is accepted in all transactions, by all parties, regardless of whether they desire each others' goods and services.

Store of value. In order to be a medium of exchange, money must hold its value over time; that is, it must be a store of value. If money could not be stored for some period of time and still remain valuable in exchange, it would not solve the double coincidence of wants problem and therefore would not be adopted as a medium of exchange. As a store of value, money is not unique; many other stores of value exist, such as land, works of art, and even baseball cards and stamps. Money may not even be the best store of value because it depreciates with inflation. However, money is more liquid than most other stores of value because as a medium of exchange, it is readily accepted everywhere. Furthermore, money is an easily transported store of value that is available in a number of convenient denominations.

Unit of account. Money also functions as a unit of account, providing a common measure of the value of goods and services being exchanged. Knowing the value or price of a good, in terms of money, enables both the supplier and the purchaser of the good to make decisions about how much of the good to supply and how much of the good to purchase.

Functions of Money (2024)

FAQs

Functions of Money? ›

The four main functions of money include: acting as a standard of deferred payment, being used as a store of value, acting as a medium of exchange, and being used as a unit of account

unit of account
A unit of account is something that can be used to value goods and services, record debts, and make calculations. Money is considered a unit of account and is divisible, fungible, and countable. With money being countable, it can account for profits, losses, income, expenses, debt, and wealth.
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What are the functions of money answer key? ›

The three functions of money are: Medium of exchange: use item to buy goods and services. Store of value: use item to transfer purchasing power to the future. Unit of account: use item to denote prices and debts.

What are the functions of the money? ›

To summarize, money has taken many forms through the ages, but money consistently has three functions: store of value, unit of account, and medium of exchange. Modern economies use fiat money-money that is neither a commodity nor represented or "backed" by a commodity.

What are the four 4 functions of money? ›

Functions of Money
  • A medium of exchange.
  • A standard of deferred payment.
  • A store of wealth.
  • A measure of value.

What are the functions of money quizlet? ›

What are the three basic functions of money? Money as a medium of exchange, money as a unit of account, money as a store of value.

What are the types of money answers? ›

What are the 4 types of money? The four types of money are fiat money, commodity money, fiduciary money, and commercial bank money.

What are the functions of money in pdf? ›

It acts as a : i) Medium of exchange ii) Measure of value. 2) Secondary Functions - The other important functions of money (derived from. t JIP primary functions) are : i) Standard of deferred payments. ii) Store of value.

What are four types of money? ›

Different 4 types of money
  • Fiat money – the notes and coins backed by a government.
  • Commodity money – a good that has an agreed value.
  • Fiduciary money – money that takes its value from a trust or promise of payment.
  • Commercial bank money – credit and loans used in the banking system.
Jul 11, 2023

What is an example of money? ›

Money can be defined as the medium of exchange, such as notes, coins, and demand deposits, used to pay for commodities and services. The value or price of an item or service is paid for using money. The US dollar is the official currency of the United States of America.

Which of the following is not a function of money? ›

Answer and Explanation:

The price mechanism is not a function of money. It is a system for setting the prices of goods and services through the interactions between sellers and buyers. Money has three main functions, and these include store of value, medium of exchange, and unit of account.

What is the purpose of money? ›

medium of exchange, something that people can use to buy and sell from one another. Perhaps the easiest way to think about the role of money is to consider what would change if we did not have it. If there were no money, we would be reduced to a barter economy.

Why is money important? ›

Money provides a safety net, shielding us from the uncertainties of life. It allows us to cover our basic needs—food, shelter, and healthcare—and grants us peace of mind. Knowing that we have the resources to weather unexpected expenses or emergencies contributes significantly to our overall well-being.

What gives money its value? ›

Summary. Currency value is determined by aggregate supply and demand. Supply and demand are influenced by a number of factors, including interest rates, inflation, capital flow, and money supply. The most common method to value currency is through exchange rates.

What are the main functions of money? ›

Money is often defined in terms of the three functions or services that it provides. Money serves as a medium of exchange, as a store of value, and as a unit of account. Medium of exchange. Money's most important function is as a medium of exchange to facilitate transactions.

What best describes the functions of money? ›

What are the functions of money? (Medium of exchange, store of value, and unit of account). Money is anything widely accepted as final payment for goods and services. Display the definition of money on Visual 1: Money.

What are the three main functions of banks? ›

Although banks do many things, their primary role is to take in funds—called deposits—from those with money, pool them, and lend them to those who need funds.

What are the secondary functions of money answer? ›

The secondary function of money i.e. It is the standard of deferred payments, the transfer, and store of value. 3. Contingent function i.e. The distribution of national income, maximum profit to the producers, and maximum satisfaction to the consumers, basis of credit and liquidity.

How does the US dollar fulfill the three functions of money? ›

A printed US ‍ bill can serve all three functions of money: act as a medium of exchange, store of value, and unit of account. These giant stones leaning up against this home are one of the official currencies on the island of Yap in Micronesia.

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