Overview

• Balz reassured that cash will remain essential to Germany’s payment system, citing its crisis resilience and strong public demand
• Bundesbank data show over 50,000 ATMs still secure national cash access despite a steep decline in branches and machines
• He proposed a Dutch-style shared ATM network to help mitigate regional shortages of cash withdrawal points
• Balz endorsed the EU’s forthcoming €10,000 cap on cash transactions from 2027 as a fair balance between payment freedom and anti-money laundering controls
• He emphasized that the digital euro, projected for rollout from 2029, is intended to complement rather than replace physical banknotes