20260915 Zwang zur Online-Zahlung

15.09.2026 Zwang zur Online-Zahlung

Only Cash Makes You Happy

Who hasn’t heard the saying, "Only cash makes you happy"?
However, the number of cash payments is steadily declining in light of all the available online payment options, credit cards, debit cards, and loyalty cards. And starting in 2027, according to the EU’s plans, every resident will have an EUDI wallet containing all personal data and payment options, so one might wonder why cash is still needed. Instead, we should be asking ourselves who will gain access to our personal data as a result!

While Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil plans to require all stores to offer at least one digital payment option in the future, we believe it is more important to guarantee that all stores must continue to accept at least cash. Norway is currently in the process of passing a law to this effect, as online payments are even more widespread in the Scandinavian countries than they are here.

But a requirement to pay online would be a major limitation, especially for older adults and people with disabilities. It would also make shopping impossible for children. We are already seeing more and more bank branches closing and ATMs disappearing from public spaces because they are expensive and require a lot of maintenance.

According to the latest surveys, nearly half of all payment transactions in Germany last year were made by card or smartphone; in terms of sales volume, the figure is 65%. Only the corner kiosk and a few stores and restaurants in remote areas avoid paying commissions to card providers.

For data protection reasons and on behalf of the disadvantaged people mentioned above, we believe that Mr. Klingbeil’s duty should rather be to ensure, by law, that all businesses "have a universal and non-waivable obligation to accept cash payments in face-to-face sales," as Manfred Kloiber writes in his commentary on Deutschlandfunk.de.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)