Abstract
In France, checks used to be the main means of payment, in 1997 it represented 47% of the whole means of payments. However, the usage of checks decreased by approximately 2.4% each year and in 2005, it just represented 28.8% against 37.1% of the bank cards. Bank cards and takings are the two more dynamics means of payments, contrary to checks and also cash which represents less than 1%. In fact, we generally pay in cash only for small amounts that can explain this small percentage. By this evolution we can notice that there is a dematerialization of the means of payments. People want more convenient ways to pay, cash and checks are perceived to be too binding. It's interesting because people use more and more ways of paying which are not physical or tangible but fictitious. That is to say, that people trust in the technology because in fact, with bank cards and takings they don't see their money, all is inviolable. This is an important positive point concerning the development of the payment by mobile phone because it is inscribing in the continuity of the evolution of the means of payment in France.
