CMSPI - State of the Industry Report - 2025

2 PAYMENT METHOD PROFILES: CASH

Percentage of respondents who have paid each payment method over the past 30 days. Most Common to Pay by Card and Swish

100

80

60

40

20

0

Debit card

Swish

Apple Pay, Samsung Pay etc.

Cash

2020

2022

2023

2018

Note: Several responses were possible Source: The Riksbank

Figure 2.5

Despite all this, the Riksbank report shows that cash is still accepted in around 70% of Sweden’s retail and services sectors, second only to card. Meanwhile, Swedish authorities have significantly backtracked in their appetite for a fully cashless society, driven by geopolitical concerns. In November 2024, the Swedish defense ministry sent every home a documented entitled “If Crisis Or War Comes”, which encourages people to use cash regularly considering “armed conflicts are currently being waged in our corner of the world.” 154 The government published the findings of a public inquiry in December 2024, recommending that some public and private agents, which may include retail outlets, should be forced to accept cash. 155 Cash may be on the decline in many parts of the world, but it would be foolish to rule it out – even in Sweden.

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