Australians are using more cash, because cash is cool. Cash is availability. Cash is privacy.

The Reserve Bank of Australia survey shows the share rising for regular purchases after two decades of displacement by payment card brand pressure.

Two-thirds of the population values cash highly. Three-quarters carry banknotes, median $65 in the wallet. The 2026 laws mandated acceptance at groceries and petrol stations, and banned surcharges on cards and digital. Policy followed a strong and growing cash preference.

Germany Kept the Flame Alive

Even to this day 53% of German transactions are in cash, slightly above the eurozone average. Germans carry €103 in the wallet, the highest in Europe. Two-thirds want cash preserved, as in the Australian study. More than 70% want current or expanded use. The Bundesbank treats cash access as critical infrastructure and tracks ATM reach and merchant acceptance accordingly.

Australia is cash. The public said keep it that way. Parliament wrote it down. Berlin said welcome to the future.