Systems and methods for electronically circulating a currency

A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause a computing device comprising a processor and memory to perform a method for electronically circulating a currency, the method comprising:

• assigning respective unique currency note identifiers (UCNIDs) to each of a plurality of currency notes deposited in a currency reserve;
• assigning ownership of one of the plurality of currency notes to a first one of a plurality of entities, wherein each of the entities has a respective unique entity identifier (UEID), and wherein assigning ownership of the currency note to the first entity comprises associating the UCNID of the currency note with the UEID of the first entity in a computer-readable storage medium;
• receiving a request to transfer the currency note from the first entity to a second one of the plurality of entities;
• authorizing the request;
• and
• transferring ownership of the currency note from the first entity to the second entity if the request is authorized, wherein the ownership of the currency note is transferred to the second entity while maintaining the currency note in the currency reserve.

A method performed by a computing device, having a processor and computer-readable storage medium for electronically circulating a currency, the method comprising:

• in the computer-readable storage medium, assigning a unique identifier to each of a plurality of currency notes deposited in a currency reserve, wherein the unique identifier of a currency note is derived from an attribute of the currency note;
• in the computer-readable storage medium, assigning ownership of a first one of the plurality of currency notes to a first entity, the first entity having a unique entity identifier;
• receiving a request to transfer ownership of the currency note from the first entity to a second entity, the second entity having a unique entity identifier;
• authorizing the request, wherein authorizing the request comprises verifying that the request was authorized by the first entity, and verifying that the first entity is the owner of the currency note;
• and
• if the request is authorized, assigning ownership of the currency note to the second entity by associating, in the computer-readable storage medium, the unique identifier of the currency note with the unique identifier of the second entity.