Last year 58% of all payments at the point of sale were made in cash, while debit card payments came in a distant second, accounting for just over 22% of payments. The facts may be different in other countries. The share of cash payments varies considerably among countries, even within the euro area.
For example, in the US, the number of monthly cash payments by consumers decreased from around 14 in 2016 to 7 in 2021. In turn, however, the importance of cash as a store of value has expanded.