You might not realize it, but only around 8% of the world’s currency takes the form of coins and banknotes. The rest of the money that shapes your day-to-day life is purely digital, numbers stored on computers and managed by banks across the globe. While it’s convenient to pay for groceries or settle bills online, there’s a concerning side effect: banks can use this digital system to create “free money” for themselves. When banks pump more currency into circulation, it triggers inflation, effectively chipping away at the value of each dollar or euro you own. So even though you rarely feel cash slipping through your fingers, you may be paying a hidden price for the digital money revolution.