Overview

• The CDU, CSU, and SPD coalition contract explicitly commits to retaining cash as a widely accepted payment method in Germany.
• Official sources have debunked claims of an impending cash ban, labeling them as misinformation propagated by right-wing groups.
• The coalition plans to introduce digital payment options gradually, ensuring that small businesses and consumers have the choice to pay digitally.
• Survey data from the Bundesbank shows that 51% of transactions in 2023 were conducted in cash, highlighting its continued importance to the public.
• The European Union and the European Central Bank have reinforced the future of cash with plans for new Euro banknotes and legal protections against its abolition.