There are not a lot of normal people using suitcases full of cash as a way to conduct business anymore. Probably the largest transactions relate to things like used cars and similarly large second hand purchases where both parties might prefer to keep the transaction off the books. Otherwise, most people would consider handling large cash transactions as a risky thing to do. And with modern payment solutions, you don't have to. Unless of course you are intent on keeping things off the books.

Unfortunately, I live in Germany where cash is still king. When possible, I use Google Pay. It's just easier. But there are still a lot of cash only places here. All the fun places basically. To get cash, I have to find an ATM affiliated with my bank (Deutsche Bank, one of inept and hopelessly customer hostile local banks) and there are only a few of those in Berlin and none close to where I live. The fees if I go to the wrong bank are pretty substantial. And then they inevitably give me 50 and 100 euro notes. Especially the latter are really a pain in the ass because shops and restaurants hate having to deal with those because it means they lose all their remaining change, which they need for other customers.

Digital currencies get a lot of bad press (and rightly so) but a lot of banks and national banks are starting to adopt blockchains as a way to keep their ledgers. Ledgers are the core thing a bank does and blockchains are basically very good ledgers. So, there's nothing strange about that from a technical point of view. IMHO, we are heading to a cashless future where all transactions go via blockchains. Cash is obsolete basically.

> Unfortunately, I live in Germany where cash is still king

No, that's actually very fortunate for you, and likely a result of the collective memory among the (previously) eastern German population about the meaning and abuse by government of tracking every little thing you do.

Government abuse of all-knowing and all-controlling abilities is a question of "when, what and who", not a question of "if".

Cash is like a standing army. You don't want to ever have to use one, but if you don't even have one you can use, you'll lose the next war that breaks, which historically has been a question of "when", not "if". So every country - including Switzerland who hasn't been part of a war in centuries - maintains a capable army.

You wouldn't dismantle your army just for convenience. Don't stop using cash.

Indeed. This is to say nothing of the absolute parasitism inherent in the "cashless" society. The Banks/Visa/MC/Stripe/Square hoovering up 2% interchange and other fees for virtually no work is absolutely ludicrous.

A 2% interchange fee made sense in 1982, when it was expensive to move bits and clear transactions. In 2022, it's pure, gluttonous parasitism.

Exactly this.

Also, i cannot imagine how using CB-issued digital currencies would work especially while being abroad. As already said, the respective government has you by the balls.

Critize someone / something? Voila, account and funds access revoked.

Additional, i get the convenience factor of digital payment methods -paying mostly by credit card myself- but consider this: if your phone breaks, you are oh so bummed.

No maps, no calls, no SMS tokens, no authentication apps (if not having an laptop as a backup,), no ID vault apps (same), no Google / Apple pay, and more...

Had to endure this for 3 months last year.

Physical cards work almost always 100%, can be freely used by people you trust, dont need expensive roaming data, you dont have to rely on a device being a) with you and b) being charged.

Also, good luck swapping the SIM to an older, backup phone if all you got is an eSIM...

>> blockchains are basically very good ledgers

"Blockchain" means very different things for different people. Blockchains such as Bit--in blockchain are very bad ledgers. The only thing they are good for is if you want to get rid of trusted intermediaries such as banks.

Ever heard of CashGroup?

The Bank of International Settlements (BIS) wants to have full control of everyone’s money in the future [0]. This is not possible with cash, but with CBDCs it’s possible to exercise full control.

———

[0]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=9FM4Fu2ujDE

I made a significant payment recently with cash and the only bills the bank would give me were 50€ bills. It was very annoying. A few bills in my wallet vs me having constant fear of dropping a ball of money from my pockets.

> I made a significant payment recently with cash and the only bills the bank would give me were 50€ bills

All the ATMs I've used (across Europe) recently have at least offered me a choice of bills (notes) when I make a withdrawal.

I took €300 out of a cash machine in Italy yesterday, didn't specify the bills, and got it all in €20s... left me thinking the machine must have had lots of them and wanted to shift some :)

If you want to deposit an EUR 200 banknote at some banks in my country the bank will charge you EUR 5.

Per note.

How is that even legal?

Is that a Euro using country?

Yes, The Netherlands

See this (in Dutch): https://radar.avrotros.nl/nieuws/item/rabobank-5-euro-betale...