I remember in the 1980's, they said computers were going to turn us into a paperless society within a decade.
While a lot of data that used to be on paper is now in databases, I work for a bank and paper useage has only increased.
I don't believe paper currency won't be going away for decades or more.
Not while China blows-up satellites out in space.
:-(
There were two things people predicting a paperless office didn't get.
1 - reading on screen sucks, as long as that's the case people will want print outs
2 - replacability spawns more printing, back when getting a copy of the big report was a chore people knew where there hardcopies were at all times, now that the big report gets e-mailed to you then you print it if you lose your copy you just print it again
Neither of those really applies to money. Money has been moving more and more virtual for a long time. With travelers checks, personal checks, credit cards, debit cards, and EFTs most of the money running around this country doesn't actually exist. And it's just going to keep gaining momentum. I doubt cash will totally go away fora long time, the last nail in the coffin of cash will be when they figure out how to make it so I can transfer money from one disposable phone card style value holder to another without involving a 3rd party. Once they manage to do that then the underground economy will be able to go virtual and cash will dissapear.