(29 April 2026 – Australia) Cash use has moved higher for the first time since 2007 as 1 in 3 Australians report that they would struggle without it according to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).
Cash use in Australia has stabilised in recent years with almost 15 percent of payments settled with cash and nearly 1 in 2 Australians using cash in a typical week. This represents an increase from a low of 13 percent in 2022.
“The Reserve Bank of Australia has caught up with the other half of Australia. Half of Australia uses cash at least weekly. Cash usage is increasing. 75 percent of Australians carry an average of $65 in cash. One third need cash. But both consumers and retailers are finding using cash more difficult now than three years ago, says the RBA” commented Journalist Jason Bryce.
“Half of Australians use cash in a typical week and one-third would face hardship or major inconvenience if cash were to become difficult to access. The RBA will continue to monitor the cash landscape in Australia, as part of its work to support cash as an essential means of payment for Australians who want or need to use it” the RBA states.
“The 2025 results suggest that accessing cash has become less convenient than it was three years ago. More than two-thirds of merchants that accept cash reported challenges doing so, including finding it difficult to access places to deposit and withdraw cash, running out of change and having higher withdrawal and deposit fees.”
Source: SMH