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For years, Australians were told cash was disappearing.
Cards became faster. Phones became wallets. Tap-and-go became normal. And somewhere along the way, the country started acting like cash was no longer needed.
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But the latest data tells a different story.
According to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2025 Consumer Payments Survey, around 15% of payments in Australia were made in cash, and around half of Australians used cash in a typical week. The RBA also found that one-third of Australians would face hardship or major inconvenience if cash became difficult to access or if shops stopped accepting it
So maybe the real question is not:
“Is cash dying?”
Maybe the real question is:
“Why are we making it harder for people to access it?”
Cash is not just a payment method.
For many Australians, it is a backup plan. It is a budgeting tool. It is privacy. It is independence. It is the difference between being able to pay and being left behind when digital systems fail.
The RBA found that many Australians still hold cash for unexpected transactions or in case electronic payments are unavailable. More than three-quarters of Australians held some cash in their wallet in 2025, showing that cash still plays an important role as a fallback when cards, phones or networks do not work.
That matters.
Because when power goes down, when internet systems fail, when card terminals stop working, cash does what digital payments cannot always do.
It keeps people moving.
Australia is not becoming fully cashless. It is becoming more selective about cash.
Some people use it every week. Some people use it only occasionally. Some people keep it for emergencies. Some people rely on it because digital banking is not always simple, available or suitable for them.
The RBA found that around 1.5 million Australian adults rely mainly on cash to make payments. Older Australians and lower-income households also tend to use cash more often than other groups.
This is why the conversation around cash needs to change.
From 1 January 2026, most fuel and grocery retailers in Australia must accept cash for in-person transactions of $500 or less between 7am and 9pm, with some exemptions for small businesses.
The ACCC also confirms that the new Cash Acceptance Industry Codes apply to certain supermarket and fuel retail sites, with penalties beginning from 1 July 2026.
This sends a clear message.
Cash is still part of Australia’s payment system.
But accepting cash is only one side of the equation.
People also need somewhere to withdraw it.
That is where access becomes critical.
For petrol stations, chemists, convenience stores, pubs, clubs, shopping centres, hospitality venues and regional businesses, an ATM is no longer just a machine in the corner.
It is a customer service point.
It is a convenience tool.
It is a reason for people to stop, enter, spend and return.
When businesses provide access to cash, they support customers who still choose it, need it or rely on it. They also create a more practical and complete experience inside their venue.
In a market where many businesses are removing services, offering reliable cash access can become a point of difference.It tells customers: You are welcome here. However you pay.
Cash access becomes even more important outside major city centres.
In regional towns, remote communities and areas where banking services have reduced, an ATM can be more than a convenience. It can become essential infrastructure.
It helps people withdraw cash locally.
It supports everyday spending.
It helps money circulate within the community.
It gives residents and visitors one less reason to travel elsewhere.
At atmwest, this is a major part of what we believe in. Cash access should not only be available in major shopping centres or busy city locations. It should also reach the communities, venues and businesses where people still depend on it.
This is not about choosing cash over digital. Australia needs both.
Digital payments are fast and convenient. Cash is reliable, simple and independent. A strong payment system should not force everyone into one option. It should give people choice.
Because choice matters.
For the customer who budgets better with cash.
For the older Australian who feels more confident using notes and coins.
For the family keeping emergency money aside.
For the regional community where digital connectivity is not always reliable.
For the business that wants to offer more convenience on-site.
Cash still has a role to play. And access is what keeps that role alive.
atmwest works with businesses and communities across Australia to provide reliable ATM solutions that support customer convenience, venue performance and local cash access.
Whether it is a petrol station, chemist, hospitality venue, shopping centre, remote community or high-traffic retail site, we help businesses deliver cash access in a way that is practical, secure and built around their location.
Because cash is not just about payment.
It is about access.
It is about choice.
It is about keeping essential financial services close to where people live, work, shop and travel.
Cash is not dead. The real issue is access.
Make your venue part of Australia’s cash access networkAnd the businesses that support cash access are becoming more important to their customers and communities.
If your venue wants to offer reliable cash access, improve customer convenience and become part of Australia’s evolving cash network, atmwest can help
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