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Around 80% of Spaniards consider cash to be necessary
The Denaria Platform has published a new edition of its Barometer on the Need for the Continued Use of Cash, a study carried out by GAD3. This fifth edition makes it possible to track the evolution of public perceptions of cash since the barometer was first launched in 2021.
At present, more than eight in ten people believe that cash remains a necessary method of payment. In addition, in 2025, 74% of respondents state that cash is important in their daily lives — an increase compared to previous years and the highest figure in the historical series since 2021, when it stood at 69%.
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Cash: the most private, democratic and secure payment method
More than eight in ten people would oppose the disappearance of cash. This view is particularly widespread among older adults — nine in ten are against it — and among those with monthly incomes below €1,200, where 89% of respondents are opposed.
When analysing the characteristics of different payment methods (card, cash, digital payments, cryptocurrencies, etc.), cash stands out clearly. For 74% of Spaniards, it is the option that offers the greatest privacy; for 75%, it is the most democratic, as it is accessible to the entire population; and for 73%, it is the most secure method in terms of protection against fraud or cyberattacks.
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What impact has the blackout had on the use of cash?
When respondents were asked about the European Union’s recommendation that households should have an emergency kit containing various items to cope with a crisis situation for at least 72 hours, 15% identified cash as the second most important resource. It ranked just behind water and basic food supplies (60%), and ahead of health and medicines (11%) and energy and lighting (6%).
Following the blackout on 28 April, citizens were asked whether they had increased the amount of cash kept at home. Thirty-five per cent stated that, after this incident, they now keep more cash at home. This behaviour is particularly common among young people aged 18 to 29, where the figure rises to almost 50%.
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Privacy, spending control and lower risk of fraud
Among the reasons explaining the importance of maintaining cash, the protection of privacy stands out as the primary one: for 93% of citizens, this is a key aspect that other payment methods do not guarantee to the same extent. In addition, 88% value cash as a means of payment that always works, independent of technological failures, and that carries a lower risk of fraud. Cash is also seen as beneficial for personal financial management: 84% believe it helps to control spending and avoid debt, while 70% say it facilitates saving more effectively than other payment systems.
As for who should be responsible for safeguarding its continued use, eight out of ten people (82%) point to citizens themselves as the main actors, followed by the Bank of Spain (82%) and the Government (78%). Banking institutions are perceived as bearing the least responsibility, at 67%.
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Digital payments and the digital euro
When analysing personal concerns associated with the use of digital money, loss of privacy emerges as the main fear. Eighty-two per cent of respondents distrust digital payment methods due to concerns that their personal data could be leaked. This concern is compounded by others: 77% fear that third parties could access their bank balance; 72% worry that their location could be tracked; and 62% are concerned that their purchasing habits could be analysed.
These concerns also extend to the debate surrounding the digital euro. For 76% of citizens, its introduction would imply greater government control over payments, reinforcing perceptions of digital vulnerability. Meanwhile, 55% of respondents believe that the digital euro would not be able to guarantee the same level of privacy as cash.
Technical details
Universe: Population aged 18 and over resident in Spain.
Geographical scope: National.
Sample size: 1,002 interviews.
Data collection method: Computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI).
Quotas: Weighted by sex, age and Autonomous Community, in line with population distribution.
Margin of error: ±3.1% (n = 1,002), with a confidence level of 95.5% (two standard deviations), under the most unfavourable assumption of P = Q = 0.5 and assuming simple random sampling.
Questionnaire: Designed by GAD3 and validated by DENARIA.
Interview duration: Between 4 and 5 minutes.
Fieldwork dates: Between 16 and 29 September 2025.
