Australian cash usage on the rise, RBA survey shows ahead of ...
Physical currency was supposed to be on the way out but a new survey tells a different story.
7news.com.auHere’s a concise update on the latest news about Australian cash use increasing.
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The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has published data suggesting a rebound or uptick in cash use in Australia in 2025, with surveys indicating a notable share of Australians still rely on cash for routine payments and that cash remains an important part of the payments system for many households. This counters the long-running narrative of a rapid move to cashlessness [web sources referencing RBA data and coverage in April 2026; see, for example, 7 News and SBS summaries of the RBA findings].[4][5][8]
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In late 2024 to early 2025, RBA data showed cash withdrawals and the stock of currency in circulation remained sizeable, with ATM withdrawals continuing to occur at high levels and the total value of currency in circulation rising modestly during that period. This reinforces the view that physical cash retained a substantial role in Australia’s payment landscape through that time.[1][3][6]
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More recent coverage in April 2026 highlights a reported uptick in cash usage again, with surveys showing cash accounted for around 15% of payments in 2025, an increase from earlier years, and a notable portion of Australians still using cash weekly or relying on it for emergencies. These reports describe a “comeback” narrative for cash, driven in part by perceived reliability and inclusion considerations, and underscore ongoing regional and demographic variations in cash use.[5][8][4]
Notes and context:
- While digital payments have grown and cash use has generally declined over the past decade, recent reporting indicates a resilience or rebound in cash usage among certain groups and situations. This is consistent with ongoing discussions about payment inclusivity and access to cash in Australia.[8][5]
- If you’d like, I can pull the latest RBA bulletin or survey summaries directly and summarize the key figures (percent of payments by cash, share of adults relying on cash weekly, regional differences) with citations. I can also compare 2022–2025 trends to show how the trajectory has changed recently.
Would you like me to fetch and cite the most up-to-date RBA releases and provide a short data table summarizing the latest figures?