New York and the Netherlands Reinforce by Law the Right to Pay with Cash

September, 2026

In an increasing number of shops and businesses, one situation is becoming more common: the refusal to accept cash payments.

Over recent years, the rapid growth of digital payment methods has encouraged this trend. However, it is not without consequences. Restricting the use of physical cash effectively excludes certain groups of people while reducing payment choices that have long been part of everyday economic life.

In response, some governments are beginning to act.

NEW LAWS TO PROTECT CASH

In the State of New York, legislation that came into force in March 2026 now requires most retailers and restaurants to accept cash payments. The law prohibits businesses from refusing cash for in-person transactions or imposing additional charges on customers who choose to pay in cash.

It also establishes an enforcement regime, with increasing financial penalties for businesses that repeatedly fail to comply.

The importance of this measure extends well beyond New York. For many years, the United States has been one of the world’s most advanced markets for digital payments and the expansion of cashless business models, particularly in major cities such as New York. The decision by a leading global economy with a highly developed financial system to introduce a legal obligation to accept cash represents a significant policy shift. Rather than slowing innovation, it acknowledges the limitations of an exclusively digital payments model.

The objective is clear: to safeguard financial inclusion. In a society where millions of people lack access to payment cards or banking services, cash remains an essential tool for participating in economic life on equal terms. The legislation therefore protects not only a payment method but also effective access to consumption and essential services.

Across Europe, similar concerns are increasingly being reflected in public policy.

In the Netherlands, the government has confirmed legislation that will require retailers and hospitality businesses to accept cash from 2027 onwards. The aim is to ensure that physical money remains a genuine and accessible payment option for all citizens, preventing its gradual disappearance in certain sectors.

An equally significant case is Sweden, long considered the world’s leading example of a cashless society. After decades of declining cash usage, Swedish authorities have begun to reconsider this model. Proposed legislation would guarantee the acceptance of cash in essential sectors such as supermarkets and pharmacies, recognising the risks that a fully digital payment system may create in terms of financial exclusion, vulnerability to technological failures and reduced payment system resilience.

MUCH MORE THAN A MEANS OF PAYMENT

These legislative developments reflect a fundamental principle: cash is not merely a payment instrument, but a cornerstone of freedom, financial inclusion and the resilience of the economy.

Because when cash disappears, it is not only the way we pay that changes.

It also changes who is able to pay.

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