This is because cash transactions, despite losing prominence to non-cash payment methods, still offer features that people find desirable – they are anonymous, exchange and settlement is instantaneous, and they are made in a liability of the central bank, which gives people confidence in the value of their exchange.
Furthermore, cash transactions can be made when non-cash payments systems are unavailable, not operating, or are relatively expensive to use compared with using cash. The key point is that, whatever the underlying causes, there is a degree of resilience in the demand for cash. Arguably, the resilience is strongest in the Asian region because of the region's large population.