New national research has highlighted strong and widespread public support for protecting Americans’ ability to pay with cash, even as digital payment methods continue to grow in popularity.
The findings, released by the Siena Research Institute in partnership with the Payment Choice Coalition (PCC), underline the continued importance of cash within the US payments ecosystem and reinforce concerns around resilience, inclusion, and consumer choice.
The survey, which polled 5,570 residents across the US and is representative of the wider population, found that more than 85% of Americans support laws requiring businesses to accept cash. In addition, 84% of respondents said they oppose the idea of a fully cashless society. The results suggest that while consumers increasingly use cards and digital wallets, they still want access to cash as a reliable and universally accepted form of payment.
These findings align closely with the Federal Reserve’s “2025 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice”, which shows that cash usage in the US remains stable. According to the Federal Reserve data, 92% of respondents said they have no plans to stop using cash in the future, highlighting its ongoing relevance despite rapid innovation in digital payments and FinTech infrastructure.
As a funding partner and Leadership Circle member of the PCC, NCR Atleos Corporation (NYSE: NATL) reaffirmed its commitment to preserving consumer payment choice and supporting a resilient national cash infrastructure. The company positions cash access as a core component of financial inclusion, particularly for vulnerable and underserved groups.
The research shows that cash remains widely used, with 85% of Americans reporting that they had used cash in the last 30 days. More than half of respondents said their cash usage has either remained steady or increased over the past five years. Cash plays a critical role for the estimated 25 million unbanked or underbanked Americans, as well as seniors, rural communities, and individuals who face barriers to digital-only payment options.
“Atleos is proud to stand with the Payment Choice Coalition in advocating for a resilient, inclusive, and secure payments ecosystem,” said Atleos COO Stuart Mackinnon, said, “These findings reinforce what we hear from our customers regularly: Americans value the ability to choose how they pay. Cash remains essential—not just for convenience or privacy, but for fairness, access, and economic participation.”
The survey also highlighted strong public sentiment around the role of cash in security, privacy, and emergency preparedness. A total of 94% of respondents said keeping cash available is important in the event of national security threats that could disrupt digital payments, while 85% said cash is more reliable during natural disasters. Privacy concerns were also prominent, with 92% saying cash protects personal privacy better than cards or digital transactions, and 86% believing digital payments increase the risk of identity theft.
Support for legislative action was equally strong. The survey found that 85% of respondents back the federal Payment Choice Act, which would require most in-person businesses to accept cash for purchases up to $500. Importantly, this support was consistent across political affiliations, pointing to broad, bipartisan agreement on the issue.
“The research validates the core belief driving our work with the PCC: protecting cash acceptance is smart, inclusive policy backed by an overwhelming majority of Americans,” continued Mckinnon. “Atleos is committed to helping financial institutions and retailers provide secure, reliable access to cash—now and for the future.”
The PCC brings together organisations across the cash ecosystem, including banks, ATM operators, armored transport providers, and currency technology companies, all focused on protecting the right to use cash for reasons of resilience, national security, privacy, fairness, and freedom of choice.
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