Use of cash by companies in the euro area

It is our mission to make sure that cash remains widely available, accessible and accepted as a means of payment. It is easier for us to do this if we have a good understanding of how cash is used in the euro area.

The ECB survey on the use of cash by euro area companies helps us understand what companies think about cash, providing insights into how they use it, their willingness to accept it and how they anticipate this developing in the future. It also sheds light on the ways companies withdraw and deposit cash.

This survey, first conducted in 2021, examines how companies in the euro area view cash, while also offering insights into how they use it.

It specifically collects data on the current and future usage and acceptance of cash by euro area companies, while also shedding light on companies’ preferred payment methods, their criteria for deciding which payment methods to accept and their deposit and withdrawal behaviour.

The data for the 2026 survey were collected between February and April 2026 by Ipsos European Public Affairs.

If you have any questions about the survey, contact banknotes1@ecb.int. 

Aggregate statistics

• 2026 country-specific data
• 2026 access to cash and satisfaction with cash services
• Charts of the 2026 report
• 2024 country-specific data 
• 2024 access to cash and satisfaction with cash services