besides having a long term view of the developments, particularly those of interoperability within and across systems. •  Despite the huge potential, activation rates and usage levels of various electronic payment services remain at low levels, though growth is picking up. No doubt the fear of taxation as payments move from cash to electronic plays a part in dampening activity.
As information technology brings down the possible space to avoid or evade tax, and as the benefits, for example in access to credit, of building verifiable histories of transactions increase, I have no doubt that merchants will push more for electronic payments.