According to the latest survey on cash use by businesses in the eurozone, published today by the European Central Bank, cash acceptance has rebounded slightly. In 2026, 92% of businesses selling goods and services at physical locations in the retail, restaurants and cafés, hotels, and arts, entertainment and recreation sectors reported that they accept cash, compared with 90% in 2024, suggesting that acceptance has recovered following the decline observed during and after the pandemic.
Overall, cash is the most widely accepted payment method in the eurozone. Card payment acceptance remained relatively stable at 88% between 2024 and 2026, while mobile payment acceptance increased considerably from 36% to 68% of businesses over the same period.
At the same time, 25% of businesses in the eurozone reported that they have taken measures to promote digital payments. The measures include investing in cash registers that accept cashless payments or reducing the number of tills that accept cash. In the eurozone, 13% of businesses have introduced self-checkout terminals.
When deciding which payment methods to accept, businesses more frequently cite consumer preference, security and ease of handling as the main considerations. Compared with digital payment methods, they continue to see important advantages in accepting cash, such as privacy and reliability.
The survey included 8,205 businesses across the 21 eurozone countries. Interviews were conducted between February and April 2026.