Cash by Country dot com

Cash around the world

Which countries
use the most cash?

Compare everyday spending across 42 markets, and see what the differences mean for your next trip.

Explore the ranking
Illustration of a travel wallet with colorful banknotes and coins beside a globe and folded map
By Cash by CountryData: 2025Reviewed

The Philippines has the highest cash share of the 42 markets compared here, at 42% of in-person spending. Mexico follows at 40%, then Nigeria at 39%. These are Worldpay estimates for 2025, published in its 2026 report.

This measures the share of money spent, not the number of purchases, the share of people using cash, or the amount of currency in circulation. It is a comparison of the markets covered, not a ranking of every country in the world.

01 / Explore the world

Cash use around the world

Cash share of in-person spending, 2025. Select a colored country to explore its result.

Fiji: not covered in this datasetTanzania: not covered in this datasetWestern Sahara: not covered in this datasetCanada: 10%United States: 10%Kazakhstan: not covered in this datasetUzbekistan: not covered in this datasetPapua New Guinea: not covered in this datasetIndonesia: 36%Argentina: 17%Chile: 16%Democratic Republic of the Congo: not covered in this datasetSomalia: not covered in this datasetKenya: not covered in this datasetSudan: not covered in this datasetChad: not covered in this datasetHaiti: not covered in this datasetDominican Republic: not covered in this datasetRussia: not covered in this datasetThe Bahamas: not covered in this datasetFalkland Islands: not covered in this datasetNorway: 4%Greenland: not covered in this datasetFrench Southern and Antarctic Lands: not covered in this datasetEast Timor: not covered in this datasetSouth Africa: 26%Lesotho: not covered in this datasetMexico: 40%Uruguay: not covered in this datasetBrazil: 12%Bolivia: not covered in this datasetPeru: 30%Colombia: 32%Panama: not covered in this datasetCosta Rica: not covered in this datasetNicaragua: not covered in this datasetHonduras: not covered in this datasetEl Salvador: not covered in this datasetGuatemala: not covered in this datasetBelize: not covered in this datasetVenezuela: not covered in this datasetGuyana: not covered in this datasetSuriname: not covered in this datasetFrance: 12%Ecuador: not covered in this datasetPuerto Rico: not covered in this datasetJamaica: not covered in this datasetCuba: not covered in this datasetZimbabwe: not covered in this datasetBotswana: not covered in this datasetNamibia: not covered in this datasetSenegal: not covered in this datasetMali: not covered in this datasetMauritania: not covered in this datasetBenin: not covered in this datasetNiger: not covered in this datasetNigeria: 39%Cameroon: not covered in this datasetTogo: not covered in this datasetGhana: not covered in this datasetIvory Coast: not covered in this datasetGuinea: not covered in this datasetGuinea-Bissau: not covered in this datasetLiberia: not covered in this datasetSierra Leone: not covered in this datasetBurkina Faso: not covered in this datasetCentral African Republic: not covered in this datasetRepublic of the Congo: not covered in this datasetGabon: not covered in this datasetEquatorial Guinea: not covered in this datasetZambia: not covered in this datasetMalawi: not covered in this datasetMozambique: not covered in this datasetEswatini: not covered in this datasetAngola: not covered in this datasetBurundi: not covered in this datasetIsrael: not covered in this datasetLebanon: not covered in this datasetMadagascar: not covered in this datasetPalestine: not covered in this datasetThe Gambia: not covered in this datasetTunisia: not covered in this datasetAlgeria: not covered in this datasetJordan: not covered in this datasetUnited Arab Emirates: 15%Qatar: not covered in this datasetKuwait: not covered in this datasetIraq: not covered in this datasetOman: not covered in this datasetVanuatu: not covered in this datasetCambodia: not covered in this datasetThailand: 30%Laos: not covered in this datasetMyanmar: not covered in this datasetVietnam: 33%North Korea: not covered in this datasetSouth Korea: 6%Mongolia: not covered in this datasetIndia: 14%Bangladesh: not covered in this datasetBhutan: not covered in this datasetNepal: not covered in this datasetPakistan: not covered in this datasetAfghanistan: not covered in this datasetTajikistan: not covered in this datasetKyrgyzstan: not covered in this datasetTurkmenistan: not covered in this datasetIran: not covered in this datasetSyria: not covered in this datasetArmenia: not covered in this datasetSweden: 5%Belarus: not covered in this datasetUkraine: not covered in this datasetPoland: 23%Austria: not covered in this datasetHungary: not covered in this datasetMoldova: not covered in this datasetRomania: not covered in this datasetLithuania: not covered in this datasetLatvia: not covered in this datasetEstonia: not covered in this datasetGermany: 32%Bulgaria: not covered in this datasetGreece: not covered in this datasetTurkey: 20%Albania: not covered in this datasetCroatia: not covered in this datasetSwitzerland: 19%Luxembourg: not covered in this datasetBelgium: 12%Netherlands: 7%Portugal: 27%Spain: 34%Ireland: 15%New Caledonia: not covered in this datasetSolomon Islands: not covered in this datasetNew Zealand: 10%Australia: 12%Sri Lanka: not covered in this datasetChina: 4%Taiwan: 25%Italy: 24%Denmark: 7%United Kingdom: 9%Iceland: not covered in this datasetAzerbaijan: not covered in this datasetGeorgia: not covered in this datasetPhilippines: 42%Malaysia: 22%Brunei: not covered in this datasetSlovenia: not covered in this datasetFinland: 7%Slovakia: not covered in this datasetCzech Republic: not covered in this datasetEritrea: not covered in this datasetJapan: 38%Paraguay: not covered in this datasetYemen: not covered in this datasetSaudi Arabia: 14%Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: not covered in this datasetCyprus: not covered in this datasetMorocco: not covered in this datasetEgypt: not covered in this datasetLibya: not covered in this datasetEthiopia: not covered in this datasetDjibouti: not covered in this datasetSomaliland: not covered in this datasetUganda: not covered in this datasetRwanda: not covered in this datasetBosnia and Herzegovina: not covered in this datasetNorth Macedonia: not covered in this datasetSerbia: not covered in this datasetMontenegro: not covered in this datasetKosovo: not covered in this datasetTrinidad and Tobago: not covered in this datasetSouth Sudan: not covered in this datasetHong Kong: 6%Singapore: 12%
  • Under 10%
  • 10 to 19%
  • 20 to 29%
  • 30 to 39%
  • 40% or more
  • No data

Source: Worldpay Global Payments Report 2026. Gray means no comparable figure in this dataset, not zero cash use. Hong Kong and Singapore are shown as enlarged dots. Map: Natural Earth.

02 / Compare the numbers

The cash-use ranking

Compare all 42 markets using the same measure and year. Equal percentages share a rank.

42 markets · 2025 data

Cash share of point-of-sale transaction value, 2025. Source: Worldpay Global Payments Report 2026.
RankCountry / marketCash shareRegionPlan a trip
1Philippines42%Asia PacificTravel guide
2Mexico40%Latin AmericaTravel guide
3Nigeria39%Middle East & AfricaNot available
4Japan38%Asia PacificTravel guide
5Indonesia36%Asia PacificTravel guide
6Spain34%EuropeTravel guide
7Vietnam33%Asia PacificTravel guide
8Colombia32%Latin AmericaNot available
8Germany32%EuropeTravel guide
10Peru30%Latin AmericaNot available
10Thailand30%Asia PacificTravel guide
12Portugal27%EuropeTravel guide
13South Africa26%Middle East & AfricaTravel guide
14Taiwan25%Asia PacificNot available
15Italy24%EuropeTravel guide
16Poland23%EuropeTravel guide
17Malaysia22%Asia PacificTravel guide
18Turkey20%EuropeTravel guide
19Switzerland19%EuropeTravel guide
20Argentina17%Latin AmericaNot available
21Chile16%Latin AmericaNot available
22Ireland15%EuropeTravel guide
22United Arab Emirates15%Middle East & AfricaTravel guide
24India14%Asia PacificTravel guide
24Saudi Arabia14%Middle East & AfricaNot available
26Australia12%Asia PacificTravel guide
26Belgium12%EuropeTravel guide
26Brazil12%Latin AmericaTravel guide
26France12%EuropeTravel guide
26Singapore12%Asia PacificTravel guide
31Canada10%North AmericaTravel guide
31New Zealand10%Asia PacificTravel guide
31United States10%North AmericaTravel guide
34United Kingdom9%EuropeTravel guide
35Denmark7%EuropeTravel guide
35Finland7%EuropeTravel guide
35Netherlands7%EuropeTravel guide
38Hong Kong6%Asia PacificTravel guide
38South Korea6%Asia PacificTravel guide
40Sweden5%EuropeTravel guide
41China4%Asia PacificTravel guide
41Norway4%EuropeTravel guide

Ranked within this dataset. Rounded estimates; small differences do not necessarily represent meaningful differences in behavior. Read the methodology.

Where cash still has a place

The top of the table spans several regions. That is a useful starting point for a travel guide: a continent is not a payment system. A trip through neighboring countries can involve different currencies, different ways to pay and very different expectations at the checkout.

Use the country ranking to choose what to read next. It is a broad signal about spending, while a destination guide can help you prepare for the particular places you expect to visit. Neither a national average nor a single travel anecdote tells the whole story.

Start with the destination, then your itinerary

For destinations near the top of the ranking, it makes sense to investigate how you will obtain and recognize local cash before you arrive. Our Philippines and Mexico guides bring together the currency, ATM and everyday-payment information that turns a statistical comparison into a practical plan.

Apply the same approach to Japan and Indonesia. Start with your arrival transfer, accommodation and first day of meals. Check the payment options for those purchases, then decide what cash access you need. A national percentage is not a recommended percentage of your holiday budget.

Low cash use needs context too

A low figure is a reason to investigate the alternatives. It does not identify which card networks, mobile wallets or bank transfers a merchant accepts. It also does not tell you whether a payment service is available to someone visiting from abroad.

Our guides to Norway, Sweden and China are useful next stops for that planning. Compare the arrangements you can actually use, rather than assuming that every way of paying without cash works equally well for every traveler.

A closer look at the euro area

The ECB's SPACE 2024 study answers a different question: how often do people pay in cash? Across the euro area, cash accounted for 52% of the number of point-of-sale payments, compared with 39% of their value. Small purchases help explain why those two measures differ. Read the ECB study.

One currency, different cash habitsSelected euro-area countries · share of payment count · SPACE 2024
Malta
67%
Slovenia
64%
Austria
62%
Italy
61%
Finland
27%
Netherlands
22%

Source: ECB SPACE 2024, Chart 5. Six selected countries, not the complete 20-country ranking.

These percentages belong in their own comparison. They must not be inserted into the Worldpay table: the measure, method and reference period differ. The ECB edition also includes fieldwork from 2023 and 2024. Its coverage reflects the 20 euro-area countries in that study.

For a traveler crossing borders with euros, the distinction is useful. Sharing a currency removes one exchange problem; it does not guarantee identical checkout habits. Keep the euro guide handy for the money itself, then check the relevant country guide for the places on your route.

Why do people still use cash?

Habit is part of the answer. The World Bank reports that habit is the most common reason people with accounts give for not making digital merchant payments in its Global Findex 2025 findings. That is a finding about a particular group of respondents, not a statement that everyone prefers cash. World Bank analysis.

It is useful to separate three questions: can a customer access a payment method, will a merchant accept it, and does the customer want to use it? A person may have an account while continuing to pay cash. A store may accept several methods while its customers mainly choose one.

The ECB also identifies privacy and awareness of spending as perceived advantages of cash. These are consumers' reported perceptions, rather than proof that one payment method is best for everyone. ECB SPACE 2024.

For travel planning, the practical implication is to check acceptance separately from preference. A high cash share does not prove that cards are refused, and a low share does not prove that cash is refused. The ranking measures what was used, not every payment option that was available.

From the numbers to your itinerary

What this means for your next trip

Illustrated route map, travel ticket and payment card

Treat the map as the beginning of your preparation. Before choosing how much currency to obtain, list the situations in which you will need to pay. An airport transfer, a small lunch purchase and an accommodation bill are different decisions, even in the same city.

  1. Check the first few payments. Confirm the payment options for your arrival transport and accommodation. If you plan to buy tickets or pay a deposit in advance, check what remains payable locally.
  2. Check your own payment methods. Look at the specific cards or services accepted, any setup requirements and your provider's charges. Local adoption of a wallet does not automatically make that wallet usable by a visitor.
  3. Plan access to local cash. If your itinerary calls for it, identify an appropriate way to obtain currency. The country guides cover ATM and cash considerations; use the currency converter to understand denominations and approximate values.
  4. Prepare for a change of plan. Decide how you would pay if your preferred option were unavailable. Base the backup on your route and expected purchases, not on multiplying your total budget by a national statistic.

There is no amount of cash that this dataset can recommend for every visitor. Trip length, prepaid bookings, access to ATMs and the kinds of businesses you visit matter more than the ranking alone. Follow through to the destination guide for that more specific context.

Questions behind the numbers

Does 42% mean 42 out of every 100 purchases?

No. In the main ranking, it means 42 out of every 100 units of spending value. Imagine nine purchases of $2 paid in cash and one $82 card purchase. Cash accounts for 90% of the purchase count but only 18% of the total amount spent. This illustrative example shows why both measures can be correct while giving different impressions.

Are these 2026 cash-use figures?

The main table uses 2025 estimates published in Worldpay's 2026 report. The separate euro-area chart comes from SPACE 2024. Report year, data year and the date we review this article are different things. No 2030 forecasts are included in the ranking.

Why is my country gray on the map?

The main source covers 42 markets. Gray areas have no figure in this comparison. We do not treat missing data as zero, borrow a neighboring country's result or fill the gaps with a different measure. Hong Kong and Taiwan appear as separate markets because that is how the source reports them.

Does less cash mean better access to banking?

This ranking cannot answer that. A spending share does not describe who has access to an account, who faces barriers, or whether available payment options are affordable. Financial inclusion needs its own indicators and population coverage. The Global Findex data are a starting point for those questions.

How this comparison was made

We transcribed the cash column from Worldpay's regional POS tables and the Canada and United States market charts. The estimates combine an online consumer survey with other data and expert analysis. They are industry estimates, not simply transactions processed by Worldpay. See the report's methodology on printed pages 156 and 157.

One measure
Cash as a percentage of consumer-to-business point-of-sale spending value. This excludes cash holdings, ATM withdrawals and person-to-person transfers.
One year
2025 for every row in the main ranking. The 2026 report's forecasts are excluded.
Coverage
All 42 markets reported by Worldpay. This is not a census of the world; region filters follow the report's groupings.
Rounding and ties
Published whole percentages are retained. Tied values share a rank; alphabetical order only determines their display order.
Separate evidence
ECB payment-count figures remain in their own chart. Findex is used for context, not to fill missing rows. Findex 2025 did not collect the same financial-use questions in every economy, so its broad geographic coverage does not imply complete coverage of each payment indicator.

Source estimates and survey designs have limitations. A one-point gap should not be read as an exact difference between populations, and a national result does not describe every neighborhood, age group or shop. Compare later editions only after checking for changes to definitions and methods.

Sources and further reading

  1. Worldpay Global Payments Report 2026. Printed pages 45, 79, 117 and 135: regional POS tables; pages 149 and 151: Canada and the United States; pages 154 to 157: definitions and methodology. Original report PDF. Figures credited to Global Payments Report 2026. The report is copyrighted; this article does not reproduce or distribute the report.
  2. European Central Bank, SPACE 2024. Charts 4 and 5, research methodology and reported advantages of payment instruments.
  3. World Bank: The power of payments. Analysis of Global Findex 2025 findings on payment habits.
  4. World Bank: The Little Data Book on Financial Inclusion 2025. Data notes on page vi explain the coverage of financial-use questions. Country data and questionnaires.
  5. Natural Earth. Public-domain map geometry. Geographic shapes are generalized; map boundaries do not express a position on territorial status.

Last reviewed . We plan to review this comparison when a new source edition becomes available. If you spot an error, contact Cash by Country with the country and source reference.