Payment instruments

A growing debate points to the need to enhance and support refugees’ self-reliance through financial aid and technological access. But the current set-up ensures that refugees can only become autonomous by accepting the restrictions imposed on them. Read the full article on The Conversation.

After initially threatening to challenge legislation forcing retailers to accept cash, Amazon Go Stores are now exploring ways to accept cash alongside its cashier-less experience, bringing financial inclusion and freedom of choice back into the payments landscape

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank launches its blockchain-issued CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) pilot but clearly states that it has no intention of eliminating the use of cash.

The UK has been recording an astonishing rise in digital and contactless payments to the point where experts believed it would destabilize the payments landscape. Yet, findings from the final Access to Cash Review show how cash is changing the digital pattern as eight in 10 Britons still rely on it for everyday transactions.

In 2016, 3.5% of Australian card transactions were surcharged. For retailers, this represents a cost of nearly $4 billion a year, which is inevitably passed on to consumers.

UK Payments System Regulator will investigate the card acquiring market following soaring costs incurred by merchants accepting card payments, which have caused overall prices to rise for consumers.

What future for cryptocurrencies if central banks launch their own national digital currencies?

US consumers like having the freedom to choose their preferred payment method, which also includes cash. Retailers should therefore be careful not to assume that the cashless attitude has been adopted by all.

Cash accounts for 22.9% of all payments in Spain making it one of the heaviest cash-using countries. This is partly due to the country's high rural population as well as its extremely high accessibility to ATMs.

The digitisation of payments is hurting those that rely on tips to complement their salaries. Not even P2P apps can fill the void as they are not universal, unlike cash.

Cash allows users to track their spending real-time but it also frees merchants from unnecessary interchange fees.

Tap-and-go payments are quite popular in Australia, but cash plays a key role in the country, particularly for low value transactions.