2026-01-11 10:00:32

European regulators are pushing for a middle ground on payments. They're not demanding a return to cash, but they're definitely concerned about keeping it a viable option for everyone. Why the fuss? Simple—there's still a notable chunk of the population that just isn't comfortable with digital-only systems. It's not just about tradition; it's about accessibility and financial inclusion. The real question is whether economies can balance innovation in payment tech while ensuring no one gets left behind.

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

10 Likes

Reward
10
10
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

BearEatsAll

· 11h ago

ngl Europe this move is actually quite interesting, cash isn't dead and digital payments can still compete... but the key is that some people really can't use a phone.

View OriginalReply0

WenAirdrop

· 13h ago

NGL, Europe's approach still has some merit; you can't push everyone entirely into the digital system, or some people will really fall behind.

View OriginalReply0

NFTDreamer

· 14h ago

ngl this is true financial inclusion, not those empty slogans... Europeans are indeed thoughtful.

View OriginalReply0

AirdropChaser

· 16h ago

Brothers are right, cash really can't be completely eliminated...

View OriginalReply0

DegenWhisperer

· 01-11 10:26

ngl cash isn't dead, right? Forcing digitalization will really trap the elderly and underprivileged people...

View OriginalReply0

PanicSeller69

· 01-11 10:15

ngl, these Europeans are quite clever, not the all-or-nothing approach, cash should be kept.

View OriginalReply0

BearMarketSurvivor

· 01-11 10:14

Honestly, Europe's recent moves are quite rational; cash really can't be completely abandoned... Some elderly folks in small towns just can't use digital wallets at all.

View OriginalReply0

BlockchainBouncer

· 01-11 10:14

Honestly, Europeans still have somewhat outdated ideas... Do we really still need to worry about cash?

View OriginalReply0

ArbitrageBot

· 01-11 10:13

NGL, this idea is pretty good, but the reality is that most people don't care at all. As long as it works, that's fine. Cash retention is necessary, but don't use it to hype up the elderly. Crypto hasn't replaced traditional finance, let alone digital payments... True inclusion requires infrastructure, not slogans. Wait, they wouldn't use this as an excuse to regulate payments, would they? The whole inclusion rhetoric sounds a bit hollow.

View OriginalReply0

Layer2Observer

· 01-11 10:04

Let me take a look at the data... Is Europe still struggling with cash issues? From an engineering perspective, this is actually a system compatibility problem — not all terminals can be upgraded to the same version. Financial inclusion, in essence, is about preventing protocol fragmentation, but designing the transition mechanism is the real challenge.

View OriginalReply0