Cash cycle efficiency

The "Shaping a New Reality of Cash" conference in Warsaw delivered four lessons: cash delivers measurable value exceeding its costs, its distribution infrastructure is crumbling for reasons unrelated to demand, resilience must be built in normal times, and advocacy should sell sugar, not fear.

Despite digital payment advancements, cash remains essential for many globally, preferred even where its use is minimal. It serves as a precaution, store of value, and is crucial during crises.

In a recent speech, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock highlighted the significant shift in consumer payment preferences, emphasizing the challenges to the cash infrastructure. The RBA is committed to ensure cash remains a viable means of payment for as long as Australians want or need to use cash.

As the number of ATMs has significantly decreased in recent years, SIX and Diebold Nixdorf are entering into a cooperation to secure the long-term cash supply through ATM pooling. However, the Swiss Post also aims to be the sole ATM operator.

The Royal Canadian Mint’s supply of coins has increased after the Covid-19 pandemic. Canadian retailers remain committed to accepting cash transactions.

Despite the proliferation of digital payments, cash is still the second most used payment instrument in the United Kingdom, as 58% of British customers use it regularly.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused disruptions in coin circulation in the United States. The U.S. Mint has increased its production since then, but the coinage denomination might need to change.

The Swiss firm Sonect obtained a fintech license to operate in Mexico in August, paving the way to bring innovative CashTech services to Latin America.

In this webchat, a panel of experts discuss CashTech and its ability to change the way cash is accessed, used and moved.

Economic sanctions and a shortage of cash delay and impede urgently-needed humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Millions face hunger and death this winter.

Four months after the Taliban took over Kabul, the Afghan banking system is on the brink of collapse. Afghanistan direly needs physical cash to jumpstart its imploding economy.

In the second episode of the Cash and Crises podcast series, James Shepherd-Barron sits down with Diederik Bruggink, Head of Innovation and Payments at the World Savings and Retail Banking Institute, to discuss why the cash cycle matters and its implications for developing economies.