Germans still loyal to cash, but electronic payments gaining ground

Germans don't pay as much in cash as they used to but still use notes and coins more frequently than most other European shoppers, an annual report published on Wednesday showed.

On average, residents of Germany made 300 electronic payments per capita in 2025, according to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which is behind the Global Payment Report. The analysis covers all electronic payments made by consumers, including card payments, based on data from the European Central Bank.

In contrast, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland have the most electronic payment transactions per capita, with around 700. The average for the European Union is about 400.

The number of per capita transactions in Germany is growing faster, however, at around 10%, more than the EU average at 8%.

BCG expert in payments and transaction banking Markus Ampenberger said Germans were catching up in digital payments, but remained loyal to cash.

The trend towards a low-cash society is gaining pace, with the German central bank reporting in its biennial report in June that only 45% of transactions used cash last year, down from 51% in 2023. 

Older people, those with health conditions or low incomes, or people without digital experience tend to use cash more frequently.