New electronic payment mechanisms together with an emerging global information economy on the Internet are set to change the way we do business. In the centre of all these developments are new electronic payment mechanisms, the financial infrastructure needed to open the electronic marketplace. These is as much excitement about the new opportunities that these developments provide as there is concern about the impact it could have on both our economy and society as a whole. This book gives a structured overview of these new payment mechanisms by first describing what exactly is possible today, what is currently existing or being developed, and how these systems work. It gives essential background needed for informed decisions and discussions in the areas of electronic payment systems and electronic commerce.