Cash remains the most widely accepted payment method among euro-area companies, while mobile acceptance continues to expand.
Cash remained the most widely accepted payment method among euro-area businesses in 2026, according to an ECB survey of 8,205 companies across all 21 member countries. Ninety-two percent of businesses with physical locations accepted cash, up from 90% in 2024. Card acceptance was broadly stable at 88%, while mobile-payment acceptance rose sharply to 68% from 36%. A quarter of respondents had taken steps to promote digital payments, and 13% had introduced self-checkout terminals. Businesses cited consumer preference, security and ease of handling as major factors in deciding which methods to accept.
AI-generated analysis based on the reported information above.
The findings indicate that rapid digital-payment growth is expanding choice rather than immediately displacing cash. Cash continues to offer perceived advantages in privacy and reliability, while mobile acceptance is closing the infrastructure gap. For banks, payment firms and policymakers, the coexistence of physical and digital methods may require continued investment in both resilience and accessibility. The next issue to watch is whether mobile usage follows acceptance at the same pace and whether merchants’ efforts to encourage cashless payments materially change consumer behaviour.
