From Cash To Credit, How Americans’ Payment Methods Have Changed In The Past Decade

Cash has steadily lost ground as Americans increasingly turn to cards. In 2015, cash accounted for 33% of payments compared with 18% for credit cards and 29% for debit cards. By 2025, cash had fallen to 14%, while credit cards had climbed to 34% and debit cards to 31%. Today, 42% of Americans say they make no cash purchases in a typical week, up from 24% in 2015.

The continued shift toward cards and digital transactions creates opportunities for banks, credit unions, credit card issuers, payment processors, financial technology companies, retailers and small businesses. Sellers can use the findings to start conversations around card rewards, payment flexibility, digital banking and making it easier for customers to pay using the methods they increasingly prefer.