In the euro area, cash will continue to be an important means of payment, especially at retail outlets. However, the increase in the use of contactless cards and mobile payments, the rise in online purchases and the growth of instant payments will lead to the erosion of cash as a payment instrument, at a pace as yet uncertain. The Eurosystem’s stance on the choice of payment instruments is therefore a neutral one: it is up to the people and the operators to decide.
