Mark of the Beast

Sweden was one of the first countries to restrict cash payments and move to a smart card based system. Most banks in Sweden now refuse to do business in cash, and most other businesses have followed suit (ref.). Paper money and coins represent less than 3% of Sweden’s economy. As a result of eliminating so much cash, robberies have dropped precipitously and tax revenues have increased, because unreported cash transactions are more difficult to carry out. Unfortunately, the incidence of cybercrimes has increased dramatically right along with the elimination of cash, as electronic fraud has become a constant threat. Eliminating cash will also drive the need for greater electronic security and the need for establishing positive identification for each person making a transaction. This is where the combination of the Mark of the Beast and biometrics will soon become the method of choice.