Payment Watch
Cash is changing — but it's still part of the picture
Cash is changing — but it's still part of the picture
Contactless payments, mobile wallets and account-to-account payments continue to transform the way people pay. But cash remains an important part of the UK's payment landscape.
According to UK Finance, there were 3.9 billion cash payments in the UK during 2025, accounting for 8% of all payments. Around 1.4 million people still mainly use cash for their day-to-day spending.
For businesses, the challenge isn't necessarily choosing between cash and digital payments. It's being prepared to manage the different ways customers choose to pay.
Cash at a glance:
3.9bn cash payments in 2025
8% of all UK payments
1.4m people mainly using cash day to day
Source: UK Finance, Payment Markets 2026.