Cash preference rises to 27% for daily use among Russians

The 2025 survey by the Central Bank of Russia reveals a notable resurgence in cash usage and preference.

While 6 percent of respondents exclusively use cash (down from 9 percent in 2024), a significant 27 percent now prefer cash for daily payments, an increase from 24 percent in the previous year.

The average value of a single cash purchase also rose from 1,731 to 1,999 rubles.

A substantial 48 percent of citizens state they cannot do without cash, up from 43 percent in 2024, often for contingency planning (41 percent withdraw cash for cashless unavailability).

This trend extends to savings, with 36 percent of Russians storing their savings in cash rubles, up from 32 percent in 2024, making it the second most preferred savings method after ruble bank deposits (39 percent).

Digital payment methods continue to expand, with 94 percent of Russians owning payment cards (up from 92 percent in 2024) and 50 percent possessing virtual cards.

Debit cards are the most popular cashless option (79 percent), followed by QR code payments (38 percent) and mobile/online banking transfers (36 percent).

However, the cash infrastructure faces notable challenges.

While 83 percent find ATMs convenient, 52 percent report devices are often out of service, and 45 percent encounter a lack of desired banknote denominations.

The 'cash at checkout' service is used by 24 percent of cardholders, providing an alternative for cash access.