Global Payments has released new data showing cash will still account for 9% of Australian point-of-sale transaction value by 2030. It also remains the most frequently used in-store payment method for a minority of consumers in every age group.
The figures come from the 11th edition of the Global Payments Report, which surveyed more than 63,000 consumers across 42 markets and examined payment trends through 2030. In Australia, cash is projected to fall from 12% of point-of-sale transaction value in 2025 to 9% by the end of the forecast period.
Even so, the data suggest that physical money still has a place in everyday spending habits, including among younger consumers, often seen as the strongest users of digital payment methods.
Among Australians aged 65 and over, nearly 20% said cash was the payment method they used most often for in-person purchases. The figure was 19% for those aged 55 to 64, 15% for those aged 45 to 54, 13% for those aged 35 to 44, 8% for those aged 25 to 34 and 6% for those aged 18 to 24.
"Despite ongoing advances in the digital payments space, cash continues to be used by a significant number of Australians across every age group - even among younger cohorts of Australians, who are entirely comfortable with digital payments. Rather than disappearing, it remains part of Australia's payments ecosystem, with Aussies simply choosing to use cash when it suits them best, depending on the situation and personal preference," said Colin Baines, Australia and New Zealand Country Manager at Global Payments.
Digital shift
While cash use persists, the report points to continued growth in digital wallets for both online and in-store transactions. Digital wallets already account for 43% of the value of Australian eCommerce transactions in 2025, and that share is forecast to rise to 50% by 2030.
In physical retail, wallet use is projected to increase from 21% to 32% of point-of-sale transaction value over the same period. Debit cards remain the primary funding source for those wallets, indicating that much of the shift reflects card spending via a different payment interface.
Cards still make up the largest share of in-store payments, accounting for 64% of the value of Australian point-of-sale transactions in 2025. Their share of eCommerce transaction value was 37%.
Debit cards led card use in stores, while credit cards were more commonly used online. That pattern keeps cards at the centre of Australian consumer payments even as wallet adoption rises.
BNPL position
Buy now, pay later remains a notable part of the market, particularly online. BNPL represented 13% of Australian eCommerce transaction value in 2025, placing Australia alongside New Zealand at the top of the Asia-Pacific region for this payment type.
That share is expected to edge up to 14% by 2030, suggesting a more mature phase for the sector after years of rapid expansion. In other Asia-Pacific markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, BNPL accounts for between 1% and 3% of eCommerce transaction value.
The findings come as the economics of card acceptance in Australia face further change. The Reserve Bank of Australia has announced plans to repeal merchant surcharging rights and lower interchange fee caps, moves expected to reshape card acceptance costs.
Global Payments completed its acquisition of Worldpay earlier this year, bringing the payments business under its own brand as it releases the latest edition of the report.
"The transformation of Australia's payments landscape continues, with digital wallets growing fast, cards remaining dominant and BNPL now an expected option at the checkout. With cash still expected to have its place, Australian businesses best placed to grow are those that can provide the greatest flexibility of payment methods for their customers," Baines said.