Greece has emerged as the euro area’s most cash-friendly country, with new European Central Bank data showing cash acceptance among Greek businesses reached 99% in 2026. That rate is the highest in the currency bloc, matched only by Italy among the 21 countries that use the euro.
The finding comes from the ECB’s latest survey on how companies handle cash. Researchers conducted telephone interviews with more than 8,200 businesses between February and April 2026. In Greece, retailers reported a perfect 100% acceptance rate, a distinction shared only with Slovenia, according to the survey.
The results place Greece well above the euro area’s overall cash acceptance rate, which rose to 92% in 2026 from 90% the year before. Researchers said the increase suggests that a decline in cash acceptance, which began during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has paused.
Greece leads on cash acceptance, but doubts remain ahead
Even so, the survey uncovered a contrast in Greece. Despite the country’s top ranking, 23% of Greek businesses said they were unsure whether they would keep taking cash over the next five years.
That uncertainty was far higher in Cyprus, where 51% of businesses questioned their cash future. Cyprus also posted the lowest overall acceptance rate in the euro area, at 76%, while Belgium followed at 81%.
Hellbound and Down 