News | Cash & Payment News

John Winchcombe

30 Oct. 2025

5 min read

CBDC News

The leader of China’s Digital Currency Research Institute has obliquely hinted that the eCNY may evolve to involve fractional banking, becoming a tokenised deposit solution anchored by a wholesale CBDC.

CBDC

John Winchcombe

30 Oct. 2025

4 min read

Central Bank Annual Report Summary

A snapshot of recent annual reports (relating to 2024) and their payment contents.

Central Banks

John Winchcombe

30 Oct. 2025

2 min read

Recent Developments in the Euro Cash Cycle

Speaking at the ATMIA’s Europe and Emerging Markets summit, Benjamin Sahel from the European Central Bank (ECB) quoted Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, and Piero Cipollone, member of the ECB’s Executive Board, to reassure the audience that the ECB sees cash as indispensable and will ensure it remains available and easy to use.

Future of Cash

John Winchcombe

30 Oct. 2025

2 min read

The Power of Cash

Prof Jay Zagorsky from the Questrom School of Business at Boston University and author of a book, ‘The Power of Cash’, has spoken at a number of conferences recently, and now at the ATMIA’s Europe and Emerging Markets summit. He is an advocate for cash.

Future of Cash

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

5 min read

Payment News

At the end of August, concerns about PayPal’s security system led to €10 billion worth of payments being suspended in Germany, according to the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Payments

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

7 min read

The Penny Dilemma and the Burden of Paying Cash

Following the announcement by the US Treasury that it has begun the process of phasing out production of the one cent (penny) coin, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta published an article on its Policy Hub: Macroblog on the topic.

Coins Payments

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

5 min read

CBDC News

Reuters reports that China’s State Council is considering allowing the use of yuan- backed stablecoins. Intended to boost adoption of the yuan globally, this would be a change in policy given that China banned cryptocurrency trading and mining in 2021 due to concerns about the stability of the financial system.

CBDC

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

5 min read

News in Brief

Over the last five years the UK has closed a higher percentage of branches (34%) than almost all European countries, less than Spain (37%) and the Netherlands (48%).

News

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

2 min read

Sustainability Past the ‘Hype Cycle’

The Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), a member-based organisation committed to helping banks address the effects of climate change and associated economic impact, has ‘initiated a member vote to decide on a proposed transition from a membership-based alliance to establishing its guidance as a new framework initiative’. This follows the decision by every large bank member in the US and Canada, and several others outside North America, to leave the organisation, with most departing between late 2024 and mid-2025.

Free Sustainability Free

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

3 min read

Observations on a Year of Payments

A year ago, payments expert Jeremy Light started a substack called ‘Agenda: Payments’ with the aim of helping readers around the world keep track of national payment landscapes and payment themes. He has recently posted data on reader response to 50 articles written across nine broad categories, giving an indication of where their focus and interest lie.

Payments

Martina Horakova

24 Sept. 2025

9 min read

Cash Payment Habits and Infrastructure for Resilience

In times of crisis, cash is increasingly recognised for its resilience. At an IMIA organised roundtable, Päivi Heikkinen (Head of Payment Systems Department and Chief Cashier, Bank of Finland), Matthias Schroth (Director of Cash Management Department, Oesterreichische Nationalbank – OeNB), and Koen Thuis (Head of Cash Policy & Oversight Department, De Nederlandsche Bank – DNB) discussed approaches to the future of cash infrastructure and the cash payment habit with the aim of preserving cash resilience.

Future of Cash Resilience

Guillaume Lepecq: Chair

24 Sept. 2025

2 min read

Switzerland: Cash to be Enshrined in the Constitution

Swiss lawmakers have unanimously voted to enshrine the right to use cash in the nation’s constitution.

Future of Cash Resilience

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

5 min read

Cash Initiatives Around the World

During a panel discussion at this summer’s Currency Technology Symposium, a number of speakers described their cash cycles and access to cash. While the Dutch National Bank (DNB) is insourcing cash processing as cash volumes fall, South Africa is working with stakeholders to manage the quality of notes in circulation, and Switzerland is collecting data to inform policy on maintaining access to cash. Furthermore, Prof Dr Barbara Brandl of Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, highlighted the need for access to both cash and digital money, to mitigate against inequalities that come with digital-only payments.

Future of Cash Resilience

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

2 min read

UK Cash Down But Not Out

A survey by UK ATM network LINK found that people under 45 in the UK tend to prefer a digital wallet, while people who are older use physical debit cards. Fewer than half of UK adults carry a physical wallet. Despite that, in 2024 about £1,250 in cash per adult was withdrawn from ATMs and 51% of people said they had used cash in the previous week.

Cash Usage

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

5 min read

Brazil Loses $148 Million To Hackers in Less Than Three Hours

In Brazil, hackers have gained access to funds worth BRL 800 million ($148 million), held in accounts at the Banco Central do Brasil (BCB). They achieved this by exploiting the valid credentials of an employee associated with the BCB’s instant payment network Pix. The implications and consequences of this incident have led to doubts about the cybersecurity of Brazil’s financial system.

Crime Payments

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

2 min read

The Psychology Behind Money Hoarding

The ‘Cash Paradox’ is the well known conundrum of cash transaction volumes falling while cash in circulation volumes increase. This gap can only be explained by cash hoarding. Much of this will be by commercial banks, hence the surge in cash returned to the European Central Bank once its interest rate turned from negative to positive.

Cash Usage

John Winchcombe

24 Sept. 2025

2 min read

ATMIA Summit to Focus on Cash in Digital-First World

The ATMIA Europe & Emerging Markets Summit will take place on 14-15 October in London, with a strong focus on cash’s evolving role in a digital-first world.

Events

Guillaume Lepecq

24 Aug. 2025

6 min read

Euro Area: the Surprising Use of Cash by Young Adults

Despite predictions of a cashless society, cash remains vital across all age groups. New ECB research reveals older adults prefer cash for transactions, but young adults pay with cash at roughly the average rate and keep cash reserves. The perceived importance of cash is rising for all!

Cash Usage

John Winchcombe

24 Aug. 2025

5 min read

Payment News

A new Japanese survey has found that the most common method for cashless payments is to use a barcode or QR code displayed on a smartphone, with 84.2% of people using one.

Payments

John Winchcombe

24 Aug. 2025

5 min read

CBDC News

The Central Bank of Brazil wants to deliver a CBDC, the Drex, in 2026.

CBDC

Latest News

CBDC News

Central Bank Annual Report Summary

Recent Developments in the Euro Cash Cycle

The Power of Cash

Payment News

The Penny Dilemma and the Burden of Paying Cash

CBDC News

News in Brief

Sustainability Past the ‘Hype Cycle’

Observations on a Year of Payments

Cash Payment Habits and Infrastructure for Resilience

Switzerland: Cash to be Enshrined in the Constitution

Cash Initiatives Around the World

UK Cash Down But Not Out

Brazil Loses $148 Million To Hackers in Less Than Three Hours

The Psychology Behind Money Hoarding

ATMIA Summit to Focus on Cash in Digital-First World

Euro Area: the Surprising Use of Cash by Young Adults

Payment News

CBDC News

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