Why the ECB Survey Shows Cash Acceptance Is More Complicated Than 92%

Cash remains the most widely accepted payment method in the euro area, but a new ECB survey shows that its everyday usability is being quietly squeezed by self-checkout terminals and investment in cashless infrastructure. The central bank questioned 8,205 businesses across 21 euro-area countries between February and April, including 904 in Germany.

Overall, 92% of firms said they accept cash, up from 90% two years earlier. The share accepting mobile payments via smartphone or smartwatch jumped from 36% in 2024 to 68%. A quarter of respondents said they had invested specifically in cashless systems or had removed traditional cash tills.

The tension shows up most clearly at self-checkout: 13% of euro-area firms already use these terminals, and almost half of them accept no cash at all. That means customers can find cash technically accepted in a store but pushed toward card or mobile payment by the layout and availability of tills.

The pace varies by country. In Cyprus, 51% of surveyed firms can imagine becoming fully cashless; in Greece 23% and in Bulgaria 18%. German companies are far more cautious, with fewer than 10% planning to stop taking cash entirely. The ECB wants authorities to intervene early so that cash remains a simple and attractive payment option everywhere.

The Cashless Shift Behind the ECB's Warning

Why “92% accept cash” overstates real-world convenience

The headline acceptance rate is high, but it measures whether a business takes cash at all, not how easy it is to use in practice. With nearly half of self-checkout machines cashless, shoppers who rely on notes and coins often face fewer staffed lanes or longer waits. The erosion is gradual and infrastructure-driven rather than a formal end to cash acceptance.

The self-checkout effect is becoming a cash barrier

Self-service terminals now appear in one in eight surveyed businesses, and the card-only design is the main problem. A store can still report that it accepts cash at a traditional till while simultaneously directing a large share of customers to cashless machines. That split between what merchants accept and what they make convenient is exactly what the ECB is warning about.

Germany is not Cyprus

The pressure is uneven across the euro area. In Cyprus, 51% of surveyed firms say they can imagine going fully cashless; in Greece the figure is 23%, in Bulgaria 18%. German businesses are far more sceptical: fewer than 10% plan to stop taking cash entirely. This suggests German cash users have more time, while parts of southern and eastern Europe are moving faster.

The ECB's policy warning

The central bank has moved beyond describing the trend and is now demanding political safeguards. It wants authorities to ensure cash stays a simple, usable and attractive payment option. While the article does not detail specific measures, the statement signals that leaving the shift to merchant choices alone may no longer be considered sufficient.

What This Means for Euro-Area Consumers Who Still Use Cash

For consumers, the practical risk depends on where and how they shop.

  • Do not assume a self-checkout accepts cash. Almost half of the self-service terminals covered by the ECB survey take no cash, so look for a staffed till if you are carrying only banknotes.
  • Germany remains relatively cash-friendly. Fewer than 10% of surveyed German firms plan to stop accepting cash entirely, compared with 51% in Cyprus, 23% in Greece and 18% in Bulgaria.
  • Carry a card or phone as a fallback when travelling in the euro area. Mobile-payment acceptance jumped to 68% and is particularly useful where cashless self-checkout is widespread.
  • Expect the policy debate to matter. The ECB is explicitly calling on authorities to keep cash easy and attractive, a sign that future rules could address merchants that accept cash in name but not in practice.