Cash still dominates small, frequent transactions in Greece
Data from the past year show that larger-value transactions are now almost exclusively conducted through digital means, while cash remains prevalent in low-value transactions. More than 50% of all transactions in Greece were carried out in cash last year. However, when measured by total value, electronic payments accounted for nearly 47% of overall turnover, surpassing cash, which represented around 42%.
Greece continues to lag behind the eurozone average in the adoption of electronic payments. In countries such as the Netherlands and Finland, digital payments account for more than 70% of transactions by volume, with cash largely confined to marginal uses. In contrast, physical money remains the primary means of payment for everyday consumption in southern Europe, particularly in Greece.
The gap is most evident in small purchases. For transactions below €10 or €20, cash remains the dominant payment method. In practical terms, Greek consumers tend to use electronic payments for higher-value purchases, while routine, low-cost transactions are still mostly settled in cash.
