They created an ingenious system that allows pilgrims to travel without the cash and valuables which otherwise might make them targets.
In exchange for a deposit at their local Templar commandery, pilgrims would receive a note written in cipher.
Any time you needed access to your money anywhere in the Templar world, a local node could process your transaction and re-code your chip with the amended balance.
If it was found by an outsider or you were robbed it would be of very little value.
(So I presume your note was in cipher and you personally needed a passphrase/handshake to unlock it too.)
The only way to get the money out would be to crack the code.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si7SOtNkNtM 30:05 - 31:30 (30 minutes into video)
So in a way it was a form of 'crypto-currency' that pre-dated BitUSD by 865 years
Very interesting documentary too.