Deutsche Bundesbank, together with the German Banking Industry Committee, announced that the collection procedure for domestic cheques will be discontinued at the end of 2027, reflecting the sharp decline in cheque use in Germany’s domestic payments market. Users that still rely on cheques are being urged to prepare to move to other payment methods. Cheque volumes have fallen from 75.5 million transactions in 2007 to 2 million in 2024, representing 0.01% of cashless payment transactions. The authorities cited cheques’ high processing costs and limited scope for automation as a paper-based instrument, alongside growing use of alternatives such as SEPA credit transfers and SEPA instant credit transfers. As part of the shutdown, Deutsche Bundesbank will switch off the technical infrastructure used for automated cheque collection in interbank payments. With many banks and savings banks already no longer offering the procedure, domestic cheques are expected to be used only in exceptional cases, and organisations that still issue or receive them are advised to assess impacts on their processes and plan the transition.
German Bundesbank 2025-10-22
Germany’s Deutsche Bundesbank and the German Banking Industry Committee to end domestic cheque collection at end-2027
Deutsche Bundesbank and the German Banking Industry Committee will end the domestic cheque collection procedure by 2027 due to declining cheque usage. Volumes fell from 75.5 million in 2007 to 2 million in 2024, now just 0.01% of cashless transactions. Authorities cite high processing costs and limited automation, urging users to switch to alternatives like SEPA credit transfers.