Nobody likes banks, but can you imagine a world without them?

It's not easy.

Their sky-scraping offices dominate the horizons of most major cities from New York to Jakarta.

Banks sit squarely in the middle of everyday life for billions of people, whether they're

buying groceries or buying houses.

The lack of access to a bank account can be economically crippling, and yet the

possibility of a world without banks is becoming visible.

The question is, would a world without banks be a better one?

You're listening to Money Talks from Economist Radio, a weekly podcast on the markets

the economy and the world of business.

I'm Ratchna Sharnbogue, finance editor at The Economist, and today we're following the

rising tide of digitisation that's reshaping the way money works worldwide.

Digital payments and loan providers are filling the gaps left by banks and challenging

banks traditional business models.

Tech firms and governments are racing to make widespread digital currencies a reality,

with huge and uncertain consequences.

So does this brave new digital world still need banks?

To get to grips with this vast and complex subject, I'm joined by Alice Ford, our Wall

Street correspondent, and the author of a special report on the future of banking in this

week's economist.

Hi, Ratchna.

Thanks for having me.

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