On or about 11:49 PM +0100 9/28/98, Adam Back wrote:
You want to buy ecash tokens with plastic. Ideally you want to be able to buy ecash tokens with an ATM card because you don't want to incur any withdrawal fee (ATM withdrawals incur no transaction fee the UK, US may be different.)
In the case of my US bank it's the opposite: ATM withdrawals, unless I use a machine owned by my bank, cost me US$1.50. Credit card fees on the other hand are paid by the merchant, who is contractually bound NOT to pass them on to me.
Buying ecash tokens with a credit card is going to result in the cash advance minimum fee, plus unwanted (and typically double digit APR) interest on the "advance".
Debit cards are a bit cheaper, but still incur some fee (unless a bank could be persuaded to waive it for this class of transaction).
My debit card functions as both ATM and credit card. When given a choice I will always prefer to use it as a credit card, which costs me nothing. -Lazlo