Overview

• BCG projects global payment-industry revenues will rise about 4% annually to $2.4 trillion by 2029, with Germany growing more slowly at roughly 2% a year.
• Germans averaged about 313 electronic transactions last year versus a European average of 380, while Norway led with roughly 800 per person.
• Germany’s coalition plans to require merchants to offer cash plus at least one digital option and to mandate electronic cash registers for businesses over €100,000 in annual turnover starting January 1, 2027.
• Bundesbank officials say cash will remain essential for resilience and culture, and they plan new cash centers in the Rhein-Main region, Cologne, Stuttgart and Hannover to secure nationwide supply.
• The Bundesbank signals private digital-euro wallets would likely be limited to under €3,000 with a possible 2028 launch, as retailers warn about fees and banks would hold the backing accounts; separate reporting highlights increasing cash traceability via banknote serial-number logging and related privacy concerns.