The People Keeping Cash Alive

While Solari’s Cash Campaign can’t take full credit, we like to think that our message about the importance of cash is snowballing!

A nationally representative survey of Americans released by the Siena Research Institute for the Payment Choice Coalition suggests that public sentiment remains squarely behind cash. Roughly 85% of Americans:

• Used cash to pay for something in the previous 30-day period
• Oppose the idea of a cashless society
• View cash as more reliable during natural disasters
• Worry that digital payments increase the risk of identity theft
• Support laws that require businesses to accept cash

Similarly, a Federal Reserve survey from 2025 found that consumers—especially adults 55 and older and households earning under $25,000 per year—“continue to use cash and keep it handy.” Although young adults use their phones for 45% of all payments, 92% of respondents overall indicated that they planned to keep using cash.

The strong public support for legislation requiring business acceptance of cash may be a response to the rising number of businesses—an estimated four in ten—that no longer take cash. The remaining businesses (57%) say that they have no plans to get rid of cash as a payment option. We suggest that you patronize the latter and let the former know that you’re not willing to shop where your cash is unwelcome.

Encouragingly, social media are full of posts recommending that consumers boycott the retailers who refuse to take cash. One such post advises:

“When you walk into a store or restaurant or hotel, ask straight away, ‘Do you accept cash?’ If they say no, turn on your heel and leave…. Total boycott works.”

A writer on Medium explains why insisting on a cash option is so important:

“It should be clear that the Cashless-Only Transaction Model results in businesses and consumers becoming more dependent on the financial industry. The more dependent you are on an entity, the more power that entity has over you. The financial industry is not satisfied with holding your money…. They are moving to monopolize money transactions.”

As we’ve described elsewhere, cash is on a roll worldwide, with countries like Hungary, Slovenia, and Switzerland awarding cash constitutional protection. Strong public support has been the engine of these developments. In our book, every person who helps keep cash alive—including cash warrior and our Hero of the Year 2025 Susan Luschas (pictured above)—is a hero.