Today PayPal’s CEO predicted the end of the wallet by 2015, a mere 4 years from now.

I like to think of myself as open minded and technologically hip, but I’m having a hard time getting my arms around this one. I know there are systems headed to the mobile space that will act like a wallet, but it’s very hard to see widespread adoption any time soon.

I’ve read a little about what’s in development and what a wallet-less future might look like and I’m not sure I buy into it. I’m sure they will figure out all the security issues and the semantics involved and produce something great, but getting people to use it will be a battle.

I do all my banking online and rarely carry cash with me. It’s gotten to the point where paper checks or anything that sends me to the bank really annoys me. On the surface I would be the perfect candidate for a wallet less future, but I’m not sure I would join insight away for one simple reason; it’s too easy.

Sounds silly, right? Doing everything online is really easy and painless, and therein lies the problem. I work like crazy to make money but then getting rid of it is almost like playing a video game. For me there’s a huge difference between an electronic payment and cash. Paying cash hurts. I don’t want to part with it. I thinnk long and hard about something if I have to put down cash on the table. Doing it electronically I think about it, but not nearly enough and it’s nowhere near as painful as parting with a wad of cash.

I suspect my kids generation will be more likely to embrace the wallet less lifestyle. Being time-strapped and ever more rushed, I believe I will welcome the death of the wallet, but deep down I know that’s not a good thing.