Do people in Spain still pay in cash?

Yes, more than in most of Europe. In the Banco de España's 2025 survey, 57% of consumers named cash their main way to pay in physical stores, though the share keeps falling as cards and mobile payments grow.

How people pay in Spain in 2026

At the till, cash is still the most used method: in the Banco de España's 2025 survey on cash habits, 57% of consumers named cash their main way to pay in physical stores, against 27% for cards and 15% for mobile phones. Online, cards lead, and Bizum is the main local alternative, accepted by 111,000 merchants and e-commerce platforms at the end of 2025.

Payment by cash in Spain

Spain is still a cash-heavy market at the point of sale. In the Banco de España's 2025 survey on cash habits, 57% of consumers still named cash their main way to pay in physical stores, slightly fewer than a year earlier, while 27% named cards and 15% their mobile phone. Cash is also still the most common way to pay other individuals, at 57%, but it is losing ground to Bizum, especially among people under 45.

More detail in our #PayWorldTour guide Payment methods in Spain.