Check

A check or cheque is a document instructing a financial institution to pay a specific amount of a specific currency from a specific deposit account held in the issuer's name with that institution. Both the issuer and payee may be individuals or commercial entities.

An order check–the most common form in the United States–is payable only to the named payee or his endorsee. A bearer check–the most common form in Europe–is payable to anyone who is in posession of the document.