Central Bank of Chile reports debit card use at 81 percent and cash at 64 percent in 2025 payment preferences survey

The Central Bank of Chile has published the results of the 12th National Survey on Cash Use and Preferences, ENUPE 2025, showing a broader mix of payment options for consumers in Chile. Debit cards were the most used payment method at 81 percent, followed by cash at 64 percent. The gap between the two widened after the pandemic, from 4 percentage points in 2022 to 17 points in 2025. Despite that shift, cash remained a widely used payment instrument, especially for lower-value transactions, and 57 percent of respondents said they would be affected to a medium or large extent if merchants stopped accepting it. Frequent cash use has remained stable at 60 to 64 percent in recent years after peaking at 79 percent in 2022. Daily cash use was higher in the regions at 72 percent than in the Metropolitan Region at 59 percent. Cash was the main payment method at fairs at 76 percent and retained a strong presence in public transport, especially in the regions at 40 percent. For person-to-person payments, electronic transfers accounted for 58 percent of preferences versus 35 percent for cash. Cash dominated transactions of up to CLP 10,000, while debit led above that amount. Automated teller machines remained the main source of cash at 77 percent, followed by Caja Vecina at 47 percent, with average withdrawals of around CLP 76,000 and CLP 36,000 respectively. The survey was conducted in person among people aged over 18 in the main cities of the country.