Glossary · Macro · Money and banking

Commodity money vs fiat money

Commodity money has value in itself, like gold coins. Fiat money, which is every modern currency, is worth something only because the government declares it legal tender and everyone expects everyone else to accept it.

Also called: commodity money, legal tender

Related terms

More from money and banking

Definitions are the start

See the term used, not just defined.

The full course teaches every term in context, with worked examples, interactive graphs and practice questions that remember what you get wrong.