In remarks at the Kontantupproret seminar in Parliament, the Riksbank’s First Deputy Governor Aino Bunge backed the Government’s bill intended to safeguard the ability to pay with cash for certain essential goods and to strengthen access to cash services. She also reiterated the Riksbank’s preparedness guidance that households should keep around SEK 1,000 in cash per adult at home. Bunge underlined cash’s role in crisis or war, and in normal times for people without a payment account or who cannot use digital payment services. With cash use continuing to decline, she encouraged the public to use cash regularly to help keep cash systems functioning, and pointed to political measures as necessary to maintain cash as a means of payment. The Government’s bill is described as requiring grocery stores and pharmacies to accept cash, ensuring private individuals can make cash deposits to a satisfactory extent, and improving companies’ ability to obtain change and make overnight deposits. She also highlighted the Riksbank’s operational support for the cash chain, including opening new cash depots, with the fifth and final depot opened in Sundsvall at the beginning of the year, establishing new banknote reserve stocks, and enabling more companies to collect and deposit cash at the Riksbank.
Riksbank 2026-03-24
Sweden's Riksbank welcomes government bill to mandate cash acceptance for essential goods and improve cash services
Riksbank’s First Deputy Governor Aino Bunge supported the Government’s bill to safeguard cash payments for essential goods and enhance access to cash services during a seminar in Parliament. She emphasized cash's importance in crises and for those without digital payment access, urging regular cash use to maintain system functionality. The bill mandates cash acceptance at grocery stores and pharmacies and improves cash deposit and change services, with the Riksbank enhancing support through new cash depots and banknote reserves.