I've been based in Vietnam for the past few years. This country seems to be relatively slow in adopting digital payment methods (which is just fine by me, btw.). Cash is still accepted anywhere and also still appears to be the most common payment method. When it comes to digital payments, regular bank transfers via bank apps seem to be the most popular option. I take it that the same is the case for other countries in the region, such as Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. But it does make me wonder, how is the situation in other places? Do people in your country still use cash on a daily basis? If not, what is the go-to payment method?
Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
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Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#2Here in Switzerland mostly very old people are using cash. Me personally, I pay always through my phone. I don't even use cards anymore. I have them all in my digital wallet. I've noticed recently a couple of Crypto ATMs. Not 100% sure how they work and who uses them, but the tilt is towards digital here. There are very few vendors left who don't accept anything but cash.
Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#3[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#4Here in India, UPI payments are quite popular. I live in New Delhi the capital and never withdraw cash in my day to day life. The only instance where I have to withdraw cash is when I have to pay rent as my landlord accepts only cash to evade taxes. Apart from these barring very few, at least in cities everything works on digital payments.
Please note that card payments are not at all popular in India and UPI is the most common means of digital payment.
Edit: I meant card instead of cash
Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#5UK. I haven't used or carried cash here for about 3 years. Other than a really inconvenient time someone gave me some for one of my kids and I had to pay it in.
Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#6UK. I haven't used or carried cash here for about 3 years. Other than a really inconvenient time someone gave me some for one of my kids and I had to pay it in.
Seconded - and it’s almost 100% Apple Pay for me so I rarely carry a card here either.
Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#7Norway. More than 90% av all payments are done electronically, per 2021.[0]
[0] https://www.norges-bank.no/bankplassen/arkiv/2021/husholdnin...
Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#8In the Netherlands, I almost never use cash and could live my life without ever having cash on me. There are some places (not many, but stil) that surprisingly don't even accept cash, like certain cafes and shops.
Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#9Sweden. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve used cash in the last 5 years. Cash is extremely rarely used. For paying in stores, contactless cards or Apple/Google/Samsung pay are the most common payment methods by far. For paying people (such as splitting the cost of a meal at a restaurant) we use a service called Swish which is connected to your bank account and works similarly to Venmo or Zelle in the US. Swish can also be used for paying businesses. Some businesses such as food trucks have a QR code that you can scan to pay them.
Paying businesses can also be done by using services called Bankgiro and Plusgiro. These are done directly via your bank account and if done after 10 AM are processed the next business day.
Re: Ask HN: To what extent have digital payments replaced cash in your country?
#10I live in Germany, Bavaria specifically, and I don't carry cash most of the time. That works fine for groceries and almost all restaurants/cafes, but there are some weird places it causes problems. Post offices don't like to take anything except cash for example.