The Austrian National Bank published the results of its 2025 payments study, which show that cash remains a core payment method in Austria even as digital payments gain further ground, especially for small-value purchases and online shopping. In presenting the results, it argued that consumers should retain a choice between cash and digital payments and described the digital euro as the missing public digital payment option and a European alternative to non-European providers. In physical retail, which accounts for 91 percent of all payments, cash still represents 55 percent of transactions, down from 63 percent in 2022, and 45 percent of turnover, down from 48 percent. At the same time, 94 percent of respondents said they do not want to give up cash, 66 percent want it to retain its current importance, up five percentage points from 2024, and 28 percent said they do not want to live entirely without it. Online shopping is widespread, with 67 percent buying online and about half doing so at least monthly. Cards account for 35 percent of online payments and wallets 30 percent, while wallet use for purchases below EUR 10 rose to 8 percent from 4 percent in 2022, although wallets still make up less than 10 percent of total POS transactions and turnover. The study found that 79 percent consider it important to be able to pay everywhere with a public payment instrument, and 81 percent across age groups value a choice between cash and digital payment methods. The Austrian National Bank said two thirds of electronic payments in Europe are routed through US providers and that Austria is among 13 of 21 euro area countries fully dependent in retail trade on non-European payment systems. To preserve payment choice, it said it is supporting nationwide cash access through its own ATMs and advocating in the European Union legislative process for a strict and broadly applicable obligation to accept cash, including at machines, with only limited objectively justified exceptions and without no-cash signs or terms and conditions excluding cash. It described the digital euro as fee-free digital central bank money and said the aim is equal treatment of cash and the digital euro as legal tender.
Austrian National Bank (OeNB) 2026-04-29
Austrian National Bank payments study shows 94 percent do not want to give up cash and presents digital euro as European alternative
The Austrian National Bank’s 2025 payments study finds cash remains the dominant means of payment in Austrian physical retail, even as digital payments and online shopping grow. The bank stressed that consumers should retain a choice between cash and digital payments, highlighted Europe’s dependence on non-European payment providers, and advocated a strict EU-wide cash acceptance obligation alongside a fee-free digital euro as public digital central bank money with equal legal tender status to cash.