Do people in Switzerland still pay in cash?
Yes. Cash covered 23.2% of all transactions and 27.1% of in-store payments in May 2026, according to the Swiss Payment Monitor. Support is strong: 79.2% of respondents oppose abolishing cash.
In detail
Yes. Cash accounted for 23.2% of all transactions and 27.1% of in-store payments in May 2026, according to the Swiss Payment Monitor. The Swiss National Bank's survey puts cash at 30% of payments in 2025, and notes that 89% of residents carry cash.
Strong support for cash
Support is growing rather than fading. 79.2% of Swiss Payment Monitor respondents oppose abolishing cash, a record high, and only 2% favor abolishing it in the SNB survey.
Access is the weak spot
Satisfaction with cash withdrawal options fell from 88% in 2024 to 81% in 2025, which the SNB links to fewer ATMs and withdrawal points.
Online
Cash plays a minor role online. Shoppers who avoid cards tend to pay by invoice or bank transfer, and paper bills with a QR-bill can still be paid over the counter at post offices.
What it means for payment operators
For operators serving Swiss merchants, cash remains relevant in stores, where TWINT, debit cards and Apple Pay are taking share. Online, invoice and bank transfer serve the shoppers who prefer not to pay by card, so these methods matter more than a cash option.