Recently, some new media reported that the three departments issued a notice, requiring major merchants to prepare a certain amount of cash to deal with various situations that may arise. This seems to give the impression that payments are moving back from electronic payments to traditional paper money payments. Is that really the case? We should understand the real purpose behind this policy.
Rather than "returning to the paper era", I think this is more of a policy adjustment in which electronic payments and paper money payments complement and coordinate. In today's highly information-based era, fast and efficient electronic payment has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and has become an indispensable part of life. But at the same time, we can't ignore the important role of cash in certain scenarios, as well as the various hidden dangers that electronic payment may face.
The original intention of the three departments to introduce this policy is from the perspective of risk prevention and system security. The electronic payment system is an extremely complex system, although the daily operation is reliable, but it is not excluded that various technical problems, such as network failures, system attacks, etc., may lead to short-term or long-term paralysis of the payment system. At this time, if there is no cash at all as an alternative, it will have a serious adverse impact on the socio-economic order.
In addition, at present, the main user group of electronic payment is still the middle and high-income age group, and the elderly and some foreigners are relatively inconvenient to use. For them, cash remains indispensable. This initiative of the three sectors also reflects the importance attached to the needs of various groups.
Some may worry that this will limit the development of electronic payments. In fact, this policy does not mean to terminate or restrict electronic payments, but to put a layer of security on it within the scope of promotion. Paper money and electronic money can coexist, reinforcing and complementing each other. Merchant cash does not affect consumers' right to choose electronic consumption, but expands payment options to a certain extent.
This initiative of the three departments reflects the idea of highly responsible governance. On the one hand, it supports the volatilization of financial technology innovation, and more importantly, it is more important to consider all aspects of risks and protect the vital interests of the public. In the future, electronic payment needs to continuously optimize security measures, and merchants must also take into account the needs of different groups to form a good cycle of mutual benefit and win-win. We as a society also need to work together to oversee the implementation of this policy and contribute to payment services.
This is not only related to the quality of our daily life, but also involves major issues of social operation and public safety. Overall, this initiative is worthy of support and anticipation. It is believed that as long as all parties work together, we will usher in an era of "simultaneous development of electricity and cash" that is both convenient and efficient, safe and reliable.