Electronic payments? Banknotes have a number and in France they are probably renewed after 2 payments in average. If you take cash from an ATM and use it to pay a criminal, but the number will be traced.
But they loop back through the bank in between. They usually go from the ATM to the bakery, who gives them back to the bank. It's only after many cycles that they're retired.
I mean any kind of payment is traceable (except at HSBC), so nothing to focus on about 'electronic'. If you want privacy, you need laws to prevent data collection and use, and you need that law to come from an alternative power from governments. Hard problem.
Are you seriously going to claim that electronic payments are just as anonymous as cash?
"If you want privacy, you need laws to prevent data collection and use"
No. You need to create a situation where it's exceedingly hard to track things you want privacy about. 'Laws' can't stop a societal tidal wave.
"and you need that law to come from an alternative power from governments."
Then it's not a law, is it? I'm not even sure what direction you're thinking in, what sort of power could enforce something like that? Are you saying the checks and balances in the trias politica aren't strong enough?
France is a Euro area country, and only withdraws notes after they are too dirty or damaged to be usable, in line with ECB policy.
> If you take cash from an ATM and use it to pay a criminal [...] the number will be traced.
I very much doubt this.