News

The Future of Cash conference in Istanbul saw some big conversations about cash today and its future. The mood was more upbeat this year as transactional demand for cash has primarily rebounded from the lows of the pandemic, and the access to cash agenda has gathered pace in countries facing the reality of less cash.

Most Palestinians remain unbanked despite the Palestinian Monetary Authority’s efforts to promote digital payments. Cash withdrawals are the biggest component of e-wallet transactions in the West Bank and Gaza.

The Riksbank calls for urgent action to strengthen cash's position and access, to guarantee financial and social inclusion, and to ensure civil preparedness. Retailers should be obliged to accept cash as payment for essential goods. Banks should be obliged to accept consumer cash deposits.

In October, Hurricane Otis caused widespread devastation in the Pacific port of Acapulco. Mexican authorities and banks launched an effective plan to restore cash access.

Cash prevails in the Palestinian economy in the form of Israeli shekels. Cross-border payments are unstable. Cash transfers will have a limited impact without humanitarian supplies to help displaced Gazans.

Cash dominates in Pakistan. However, digital technologies and financial inclusion are transforming payments. This article analyzes the current use of cash, explores the factors influencing its demand, and assesses possible future scenarios.

The winners of this year’s CashTech Innovation Awards include Managecash Personal (Türkiye), Cash Perks (UK), and the Donation Dollar by the Royal Australian Mint (Best CashTech).

Cash is the most widely used and accepted payment instrument in Spain, according to a recent survey from the Banco de España. Very few people and retailers know about the digital euro.

Many seniors and people living with disabilities find it easier to use cash as opposed to card and digital payments.

On 6 October, POS terminals suffered an outage, leaving thousands of merchants unable to process card transactions. It is unclear whether this is due to a technical glitch or a cyber-attack.

Card issuers and payment networks are belatedly acting to counteract the environmental footprint of first-use plastic cards.

Insurance company Lloyd's of London warns that a major cyberattack on the global payments system could cost USD3.5 trillion. Can cash come to the rescue?