Cash usage in Australia appears to be stabilising, confounding the all too common projection (and perception) that digital payments will marginalise cash use.
Cash usage appears to have stabilised at around 14 per cent.
Deep into the ACCC's Cash-In-Transit determination last week is a discussion of cash usage in Australia.
"There is reason to believe that this [cash usage] decline has now stabilised, such that cash transactions will continue to account for around 14% [of all payments].
“In any event, the need for cash – particularly in regional and remote areas and among under-privileged communities – is accepted by all parties and regulators as a major priority."
Analysis by campaign group Cash Welcome of yesterday’s monthly RBA statistics on retail payments shows that the total number of ATM cash withdrawals made in Australia during May was 28.6 million, up about 418,000 from April 2025.
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The total value of ATM cash withdrawals in May was $9.1 billion, up from $8.9 billion in April 2025.
“The number of ATM withdrawals in Australia is not falling steeply, despite the number of bank-owned ATMs continuing to decline rapidly” Jason Bryce from Cash Welcome said.
“As bank-owned ATMs disappear, more Australians than ever before are paying fees to withdraw their own money.”
Bryce also pointed out that in the ACCC determination “Securecash submitted that demand for cash and cash services is not in decline.
“Authentic Security said market conditions have changed and the anticipated rapid decline in cash usage has plateaued.
“Next Payments confirmed that cash remains in strong demand.”
Securecash and Authentic Security provide cash-in-transit services in competition with Armaguard, while Next Payments is an independent ATM operator.