Futurist and IEEE member Heather Schlegel helps us understand why we have money in the first place,so we can see how that might change in our increasingly connected world. To take that threat further, Marla Blow, a partner at a finance investment company called Fenway Summer, envisions a world kids today might not even need to know how to swipe a credit card. And maybe paying for things will go away altogether. Virginia Heyburn, vice president of insights and advocacy at online banking tech company Fiserv gives us her predictions on that topic. Of course, in typical retro style, our archives describe new-fangled ways to pay—some that have come to pass, and some that we would rather not experience firsthand. And finally, as digital wallets and Apple Pay become mainstream, the good old fashioned dollar is seeming less and less relevant. But it’s not going to go away completely. At least not according to Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss. These investors/entrepreneurs say the dollar will go digital and start to look and act more like their cryptocurrency of choice: bitcoin. How would you like to pay for your coffee in the future—bitcoin? fingerprint? a chip implanted behind your ear? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook, or email us at futuropolis@popsci.com. And be sure to subscribe on iTunes, SoundCloud, or search for Futuropolis on your favorite podcast app. Futuropolis is a biweekly podcast on the Panoply network. Tune in every other Wednesday for more sneak peeks at the future.
