Yin vs. Yang Currencies
Our token system is philosophically rooted in economist Bernard Lietaer's concept of complementary currencies. Understanding this framework helps explain why we use both TFT and Cloud Credits.
Currency Philosophies​
Yang Currencies​
- Nature: Conventional, national currencies (e.g., dollar, euro, yen)
- Creation: Centralized, can be fair-launched or created by a centralized authority
- Characteristics: Promote competition, scarcity, hierarchy, and analytical or linear thinking
- Strengths: Efficient for global trade and industrial economic activities
- Limitations: Relying solely on Yang currencies fosters fragility, social isolation, and volatility
Yin Currencies​
- Nature: Complementary or community currencies (e.g., barter systems, time banking, trade credits, caring relationship tickets)
- Creation: Decentralized, often mutual credit systems created by participants themselves
- Foundation: Rely on community trust rather than a central issuer
- Characteristics: Foster cooperation, egalitarian relationships, quality of life, sustainability, and social trust
- Environment: Thrive within bounded communities, where circulation and reciprocity reinforce social cohesion
Why Both Matter: The Complementarity​
Lietaer doesn't present Yin and Yang currencies as antagonistic — but as complementary tools, each serving distinct purposes:
- Societies that incorporate both systems, dual currency systems, are typically more resilient, socially robust, and thrive economically
Real-World Examples​
Bali's Dual System​
- National (Yang) currency: Used for wider commerce
- Community-based Yin currency: narayan banjar (based on hours of service)
- Impact: Empowers communal projects and mutual support
- Scale: About 30% of adult life in Bali occurs in this Yin economy, reinforcing trust and collective well-being
Japan's Care Economy​
- System: Complementary Yin currencies reward caregiving
- Function: Caring-for-elderly credits can be used for university tuition
- Result: Solves multiple community needs through alternative value systems
Lietaer's Integral Economy Vision​
Lietaer's broader vision forms part of his "Integral Economy": a balanced system where:
- Financial capital (Yang) and social capital (Yin) coexist harmoniously
- Goal: Foster integral wealth — not just material accumulation, but also community, natural, and social well-being
Summary Table​
| Feature | Yang Currency | Yin Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Creation | Central authority, fiat | Mutual credit, community-based |
| Focus | Liquidity, scarcity, hierarchy | Cooperation, mutual credit |
| Use Case | Trade, blockchain, investment, liquidity providing | Mutual credit, services, exchange of capacity |
| Examples | USD, EUR, JPY, TFT | Time banking, cloud computing capacity, CC |
| Role in Society | Efficiency & growth of capital | Builds trust and resilience alongside Yang |
Application to ThreeFold​
In our system:
- TFT (Yang): Tradable, scarce, subject to market forces, provides investment opportunity
- CC (Yin): Stable, community-focused, promotes cooperation, enables predictable service exchange
This dual structure aims to:
- Preserve market efficiency and investment potential (Yang)
- Enable stable, community-oriented value exchange (Yin)
- Create resilience through complementarity
- Balance speculation with sustainability
Final Thoughts​
Bernard Lietaer's Yin-Yang currency model invites us to rethink our relationship with money. By blending efficiency and competitiveness (Yang) with cooperation and scarcity-healing systems (Yin), communities can cultivate greater resilience, trust, and sustainable abundance.
Our dual-token system isn't just about technical mechanics — it's about creating an economy that serves both market efficiency and community well-being.