The economic system used in NanoTrasen station operations is based on three distinct forms of value: credits, cash, and coins, each operating at different levels of formality and control.
Credits are the primary and official currency of all NanoTrasen installations. They exist as a fully digital accounting system tied to corporate banking infrastructure. Credits are used for all sanctioned transactions, including crew salary distribution, department funding, cargo supply orders, equipment purchases, and inter-station corporate transfers. Access to credits is managed through secure terminals and banking IDs, with all transactions logged for corporate oversight and auditing.
Cash represents a physical, offline representation of credits. It is rarely issued in normal station operations but still circulates in informal or low-trust environments. Cash is typically used for personal trades between crew members, black-market exchanges, or situations where network access is restricted, compromised, or intentionally avoided. While it provides flexibility outside the corporate ledger system, it lacks traceability and is therefore outside standard financial control mechanisms.
Coins are the most irregular and least standardized form of currency. They do not function as a primary means of payment within station economies and instead exist as symbolic or situational value objects. Coins may appear as commemorative NanoTrasen issues, old corporate or pre-corporate tokens, reward medals, or localized station-specific markers of status or access. Their value is entirely contextual, often determined by rarity, social agreement, or collector interest rather than any fixed exchange rate.