This is evident from the annual survey commissioned by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) on the acceptance of cash. Research agency Locatus visited more than 5,000 retailers and 1,000 market stalls across the Netherlands in 2025 to take stock of the payment options they offer. As part of the survey, it documented payment prompts such as signs bearing messages like ‘PIN only’, ‘PIN? Yes, please’ and ‘pay electronically’.
© GettyImages
As was the case in the previous survey in 2024, most retailers do not inform their customers of the payment methods they accept. In 2025, 21% of points-of-sale displayed a sign or sticker providing information on payment options, against 25% a year earlier. Where no such sign is displayed, customers may assume that they can pay by both cash and card.
Retailers that do specify how customers can pay usually ask them to pay by card by displaying stickers and signs saying ‘PIN? Yes, please’ and ‘pay electronically’. At 4% of the outlets visited , a sticker clearly marked ‘PIN only’ indicated that customers could only pay by card. That is slightly less than in 2024 (5%).
Cash acceptance varies greatly by type of retailer or service provider (see Chart 1). PIN-only restrictions are mainly found in car parks, cinemas and pharmacies. Compared with the 2024 survey, cash acceptance has increased among cinemas and pharmacies (see Chart 2), but decreased at car parks. The option to pay with cash is important for people who have difficulty using digital payment methods, as cash helps them to make purchases without assistance. Cash also remains important for people who make a conscious choice to pay in cash. Cash payment is almost always an option in shops where customers typically buy only a few items, such as specialist food shops and non-food shops. Similarly, at markets ‘PIN only’ restrictions are rare: at 15 out of the 1,000 market stalls visited, payment can only be made by card.
As in previous years, PIN-only retailers are mainly found in larger cities. In cities with more than 175,000 inhabitants, around one in eleven retail outlets (9%) only accept card payments. In towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, this is around 1% of the retailers surveyed.
The survey shows that market stallholders comparatively often say they prefer to be paid in cash. Of those displaying a sticker or a sign, more than a quarter say they prefer to be paid in cash, up from the 2024 survey (13%).
To gain a better understanding of retailers’ decisions, DNB has commissioned research agency Panteia to conduct telephone interviews with over 1,100 retailers and service providers in the spring of 2026. It shows that retailers accept cash primarily because it is legal tender and because customers prefer to pay with cash. Both reasons were cited by 59% of the respondents (see Table 1).
70% of retailers who accept cash are (very) satisfied with cash as a means of payment, a quarter are neutral, and a small proportion (5%) are (very) dissatisfied. The main reasons cited for this dissatisfaction are the need to deposit cash, the associated costs and the security risks.
The 43 retailers who do not accept cash cite security, costs and customers’ preference for card payments as the main reasons. When customers insist to pay in cash at these ‘PIN only’ locations, retailers deal with this in different ways. Some still accept cash, while a smaller group refuse to do so. Also, just over one in three opt for alternatives, such as sending a payment request or allowing the customer to make a bank transfer.
Cash also continues to play an important role as a fallback option in the event of disruptions to electronic payments. For example, 78% of retailers ask customers to pay in cash when card payments are not possible. In addition, 47% deliberately keep extra change on hand so that they can continue to operate in such situations.
This is in line with the ‘resilience advice’ issued by the National Forum on the Payment System (NFPS), which stresses that both consumers and firms must prepare for situations in which payment systems are temporarily disrupted. For more information, see the NFPS advice: Prepare for a three-day disruption of electronic payments.
DNB believes it is important that people retain the option of paying in cash. Without cash, it becomes more difficult for some people to make their purchases, while paying should be easy for everyone. In addition, cash is an important fallback option in situations where card payments are not possible. Retail representatives have therefore committed in the 2022 Cash Covenant to ensure their members continue to accept cash. DNB monitors these developments annually.
In addition, a legal obligation to accept cash payments up to €3,000 has been proposed,which should ensure that cash remains widely accepted by retailers and other service providers. The aim is for the acceptance obligation to come into force once the exceptions to it have also been laid down.
30 June 2026
Background
Starting now, DNB will publish figures every six months on the number of fraudulent transactions at banks and payment institutions. You can read here exactly what we mean by fraudulent transactions, and how these figures can be of use to you.
Read more Four questions about DNB’s new payment fraud figures
30 June 2026
News
The number of fraudulent transactions involving bank transfers, card payments and cash withdrawals in the Dutch payments system rose by 30% in 2025 to approximately 658,000. As is evident from figures published by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) for the first time today.
Read more More fraud in payments in 2025
01 June 2026
News
Banks and payment institutions are paying close attention to various forms of payment fraud. This follows from an exploratory examination which DNB carried out in early 2026. All seven institutions we examined are taking various measures aimed at preventing fraud.
Read more Banks and payment institutions take action against payment fraud
26 May 2026
Background
People in the Netherlands are paying cash at points of sale (POS) somewhat less often than before. Just 17% of all payments are made in cash. People aged 75 and over are also paying by debit card more often and making less use of cash.
Read more Over-75s more and more likely to pay by debit card