Cash is king. And that doesn't seem likely to change.

Did you know that eight out of ten transactions in Europe today are settled with cash? Or that 80% of bank customers use an ATM to withdraw cash at least once a month?

The importance of cash is not likely to diminish: according to the European Central Bank, the number of banknotes in circulation is rising at the rate of 9% yearly. And the number of dollars has likewise risen – by 42% since the year 2000. 

Press review:
Analyst: ATM networks should expand to meet growing cash demand

Cash handling is expensive

Unfortunately, the rising volume of cash in circulation also increases the costs of cash handling at banks and retail companies for personnel, insurance, logistics, and much more. Together, these costs make up an enormous burden: according to our surveys, Europe and the USA each spend more than 50 billion euros a year on cash handling.