Moneo

Moneo, sometimes branded as mon€o, is an electronic purse system available on French bank cards to allow small purchases to be made without cash and used from 1999 to 2015.

The system is aimed at small retailers such as bakeries and cafés and intended for purchases of less than €30.

The card is inserted into a handheld Moneo reader by the merchant who enters the transaction amount for the customer. The customer then confirms the purchase by pushing a button on the keypad; the exact amount is debited from the card within a few seconds.

As well as the multipurpose bank card version, anonymous cards (also smart cards) are available for the use of people without bank accounts, such as children and tourists.

Supported by all French banks, Moneo was tested in Brittany and Montpellier in 2002, and from 2004 Moneo has been added to most French bank cards.

Moneo is based on the German system Geldkarte. Moneo was launched in Tours on 30 September 1999 by economy minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn.