Overview
- Fresh surveys from Visa and Allensbach report a tipping point, with debit cards now the preferred method (38% vs. 27% for cash) and more people saying their last purchase was by card than cash (47% vs. 41%).
- Visa finds 71% want to be able to pay everywhere by card or phone and 44% carry cash chiefly as backup, while one in five avoids cash‑only shops and smartphone payments rank first among Gen Z users.
- Allensbach data and t3n reporting show the debit card, including Girocard, as the favored instrument, and many under‑30s support a rule requiring merchants to accept at least one common card.
- Commerzbank/Ipsos research highlights merchant barriers such as unreliable internet, security concerns and setup costs, echoed by a sparse terminal network with only 18 devices per 1,000 residents in Germany.
- Consumers express caution about instant payments, with 56% citing irreversibility and 20% saying they would not use them, and separate reports warn frequent card use can mask balances and trigger costly overdraft interest.