Cloudmoney - Brett Scottepub May 2026

: Unlike cash, which offers a "data black hole" for personal transactions, digital payments create a permanent digital footprint. Scott argues that this data is the ultimate prize for corporations like Google and Meta, who use it to map human habits and beliefs.

: Scott describes the shift to digital as a form of "corporate seep," where previously direct peer-to-peer relationships are replaced by institutionally mediated ones. This process often excludes the working class and marginalized groups who rely on the universal accessibility of cash. Cloudmoney - Brett Scottepub

As major platforms and governments push for digital currencies (including CBDCs), Scott’s work serves as a defense of "analogue friction". He compares cash to emergency staircases in a skyscraper—unsexy and often ignored, until the high-tech systems fail and you need a reliable way out. Where to Read : Unlike cash, which offers a "data black

In his book Cloudmoney: Cash, Cards, Crypto, and the War for Our Wallets , Brett Scott argues that the move toward a "cashless society" is not a natural evolution of technology, but a deliberate campaign by financial institutions and Big Tech to replace a public good (cash) with a private, surveilled, and extractive digital alternative. He defines "cloudmoney" as the digital money issued by the banking sector that requires the fusion of Big Finance and Big Tech to function, effectively turning every transaction into a data-gathering opportunity for corporations. Key Themes and Insights This process often excludes the working class and

: The book uncovers a long-established lobbying infrastructure—including banks, card companies, and international agencies—that wages a "covert war" on physical money. This campaign often uses the banner of "progress" or "financial inclusion" to herd users into digital systems that are easier to monitor and tax.