A2 RW Ch1 L1 · Mobile Money 💳📱

1Shells, salt, coins, credit cards—these have all been used as forms of money. As times change, so does how people pay for things. Therefore, it’s not surprising that a new form of money has arrived.

2Hundreds of years ago, cowry shells were a popular form of payment in areas close to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. These shells, used to decorate clothing and jewelry, were traded throughout the world. In countries where cowry shells were not common—China, for example—they were even more valuable. In fact, early Chinese emperors were often buried with a cowry shell placed inside their mouth.

3Salt, now mostly used to make food taste better, was very valuable in the past. In Roman times, for example, soldiers were paid in salt. People used it to make food taste better and to make it last longer. They also used it for health reasons and traded it for silk, spices, and even gold.

4Next came coins, made starting in the 6th century BCE in what is today Turkey. The material used depended on where the coin was made. In Turkey, for instance, early coins were made of silver or gold. In China, bronze was often used.

5Introduced in the 1950s and 60s, the credit card and debit card changed how people paid for things. Instead of having to carry heavy coins and dirty bills, many people started to use a card to purchase items.

6Thanks to technology, now that is changing. On the timeline of money’s evolution, we are at the start of the digital money period—that is, the use of mobile phone apps like Alipay and PayPal to “pay” for goods and services. Some people predict that this is another step toward living in a cashless world.

1Shells, salt, coins, credit cards—these have all been used as forms of money. As times change, so does how people pay for things. Therefore, it’s not surprising that a new form of money has arrived.

2Hundreds of years ago, cowry shells were a popular form of payment in areas close to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. These shells, used to decorate clothing and jewelry, were traded throughout the world. In countries where cowry shells were not common—China, for example—they were even more valuable. In fact, early Chinese emperors were often buried with a cowry shell placed inside their mouth.

3Salt, now mostly used to make food taste better, was very valuable in the past. In Roman times, for example, soldiers were paid in salt. People used it to make food taste better and to make it last longer. They also used it for health reasons and traded it for silk, spices, and even gold.

4Next came coins, made starting in the 6th century BCE in what is today Turkey. The material used depended on where the coin was made. In Turkey, for instance, early coins were made of silver or gold. In China, bronze was often used.

5Introduced in the 1950s and 60s, the credit card and debit card changed how people paid for things. Instead of having to carry heavy coins and dirty bills, many people started to use a card to purchase items.

6Thanks to technology, now that is changing. On the timeline of money’s evolution, we are at the start of the digital money period—that is, the use of mobile phone apps like Alipay and PayPal to “pay” for goods and services. Some people predict that this is another step toward living in a cashless world.

1Shells, salt, coins, credit cards—these have all been used as forms of money. As times change, so does how people pay for things. Therefore, it’s not surprising that a new form of money has arrived.

2Hundreds of years ago, cowry shells were a popular form of payment in areas close to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. These shells, used to decorate clothing and jewelry, were traded throughout the world. In countries where cowry shells were not common—China, for example—they were even more valuable. In fact, early Chinese emperors were often buried with a cowry shell placed inside their mouth.

3Salt, now mostly used to make food taste better, was very valuable in the past. In Roman times, for example, soldiers were paid in salt. People used it to make food taste better and to make it last longer. They also used it for health reasons and traded it for silk, spices, and even gold.

4Next came coins, made starting in the 6th century BCE in what is today Turkey. The material used depended on where the coin was made. In Turkey, for instance, early coins were made of silver or gold. In China, bronze was often used.

5Introduced in the 1950s and 60s, the credit card and debit card changed how people paid for things. Instead of having to carry heavy coins and dirty bills, many people started to use a card to purchase items.

6Thanks to technology, now that is changing. On the timeline of money’s evolution, we are at the start of the digital money period—that is, the use of mobile phone apps like Alipay and PayPal to “pay” for goods and services. Some people predict that this is another step toward living in a cashless world.

1Shells, salt, coins, credit cards—these have all been used as forms of money. As times change, so does how people pay for things. Therefore, it’s not surprising that a new form of money has arrived.

2Hundreds of years ago, cowry shells were a popular form of payment in areas close to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. These shells, used to decorate clothing and jewelry, were traded throughout the world. In countries where cowry shells were not common—China, for example—they were even more valuable. In fact, early Chinese emperors were often buried with a cowry shell placed inside their mouth.

3Salt, now mostly used to make food taste better, was very valuable in the past. In Roman times, for example, soldiers were paid in salt. People used it to make food taste better and to make it last longer. They also used it for health reasons and traded it for silk, spices, and even gold.

4Next came coins, made starting in the 6th century BCE in what is today Turkey. The material used depended on where the coin was made. In Turkey, for instance, early coins were made of silver or gold. In China, bronze was often used.

5Introduced in the 1950s and 60s, the credit card and debit card changed how people paid for things. Instead of having to carry heavy coins and dirty bills, many people started to use a card to purchase items.

6Thanks to technology, now that is changing. On the timeline of money’s evolution, we are at the start of the digital money period—that is, the use of mobile phone apps like Alipay and PayPal to “pay” for goods and services. Some people predict that this is another step toward living in a cashless world.