Microsoft has launched a new global currency to replace $US dollars on the Microsoft Live service. Microsoft Points are "the new coin of the Xbox Live Marketplace realm. Microsoft Points is a new universal system that works across international borders and is even available if you don't have a credit card," says the site.
Microsoft Points allows for micro-transactions so people can sell downloads for, say, 10 cents instread of $5. The long term plans include allowing Live users to sell things like game skins, and a way to use points to buy real-world objects. But I'm sure Microsoft will want to see whether users can hack or otherwise subvert the system before they try anything like that.
The Live Marketplace is offering things like themes, pictures, trailers and demos.
