Cash, Checkable Deposits and Cost of Inflation

Abstract

The Welfare cost of inflation is revisited with a search-theoretic model wherein distinct features of cash and checkable deposits as means of payment are incorporated. Our result implies that the presence of an interest-bearing checkable deposit amplifies the cost of inflation significantly via a channel of option value of money. Put differently, the cost of inflation is substantially underestimated under the assumption of non-interest-bearing M1. This is in stark contrast to the previous studies in which the assumption of non-interest-bearing M1 leads to a considerable overvaluation of an inflation cost. This finding provides the rationale for a low inflation target by the central bank where the payment system is highly developed.