Local Payment Solutions Lead the Digital Revolution in Europe

Digital payment methods continue to grow across Europe, driven by speed and convenience. While cash remains dominant in Austria and Germany, contactless card payments have become the preferred choice in all other surveyed European countries.

Amsterdam, 13 March 2025 – The latest edition of the European Payment Study conducted by management and technology consultancy BearingPoint reveals a clear trend: digital payment solutions are steadily increasing across Europe. In the Netherlands, Tikkie (72%) is the most popular method for peer-to-peer payments, followed by cash (37%).

Cash remains king in Austria and Germany, while contactless payments are the number one choice in other countries. 

Despite the growing adoption of digital payments, cash remains the most commonly used payment method in Austria and Germany. In Austria, 73% of respondents report frequently using cash, compared to 49% in the Netherlands.

Conversely, contactless payments are the most commonly used payment method in the other surveyed European countries. The Scandinavian countries, in particular, stand out for their strong adoption of contactless payments, with Finland (89%), Denmark (76%), and Sweden (75%) showing the highest usage rates. In the Netherlands, this figure is 73%. In these countries, cash is used much less frequently: only 46% of Finns, 35% of Danes, and 28% of Swedes report frequently using cash.

Sweden and France demonstrate a particularly strong preference for card payments over cash. In both countries, even traditional (non-contactless) card payments are used more often than cash. In Sweden, 41% of respondents report using traditional card payments, while this percentage stands at 57% in France.

The rapid growth of digital payment solutions in Europe reflects the changing preferences of consumers, and the introduction of Instant Payments meets the demand for transactions that are immediate, secure, and efficient.

Joost Loves, Partner at BearingPoint

Digital payments are gaining ground in Europe, with significant generational differences 

In all surveyed countries, respondents expect the use of digital payment methods, particularly card payments and mobile payments, to increase over the next two years. Ireland leads the way, with 40% of respondents indicating they plan to use card payments more frequently and 39% intending to use mobile payments more often. Sweden closely follows, with 38% expecting to increase their use of card payments and 37% planning to adopt mobile payments more frequently.

Interest in cryptocurrencies remains relatively low. Switzerland has the highest percentage of respondents (11%) who plan to use cryptocurrencies more frequently, followed by Austria and Ireland at 9%. Denmark and Finland show the least interest, with only 3% of respondents in each country intending to use cryptocurrencies more often. In the Netherlands, interest in crypto stands at 5%.

Generational Differences in Payment Preferences

Younger respondents (18-34 years old) are the most likely to increase their use of mobile payments (42%) and cryptocurrencies (14% for ages 18-24 and 15% for ages 25-34). For card payments, the 18-24 age group leads with 35%, followed by the 55+ group (33%), which, surprisingly, shows the second-highest increase. The 35-44 age group shows the least interest in increasing their card payment usage.

One in Three Anticipates a Decline in Cash Usage Over the Next Decade

On average, 38% of respondents expect cash usage to decrease over the next ten years. This expectation is highest in Ireland (49%) and Denmark (56%). In countries where cash is still widely used, such as Germany and Austria, the expectation is lower: only 33% of respondents in Germany and 28% in Austria anticipate a significant decline in cash usage. In the Netherlands, 37% expect to stop using cash within the next decade.

About the Study

BearingPoint has been conducting regular research on payment behavior in Europe since 2019. The latest survey was conducted between November 19 and December 1, 2024, involving 10,222 respondents from nine countries, including the Netherlands. The results are representative of the adult population in each country. The full results and further analysis are available on our website.