At the end of last year, the Eurosystem Research Network on Cash (EURECA) held a workshop at the European Central Bank (ECB) to consider the latest currency research.

Cash management is changing as cash moves from being a core business for commercial banks and retailers to being a cost centre. Today’s cash management companies (CMC), such as Loomis, are changing their ‘offer’ to that of ‘cash-as-a-service’ rather than just offering traditional cash-in-transit (CIT) cash services.

The Danish physicist, Niel Bohrs, said, ‘prediction is very difficult, particularly if it’s about the future’. Few would argue with him, however, here we go… What will be the big themes in 2026 when it comes to cash and payments? Herewith an eclectic mix of suggestions.

Reviewing the year shows that the arguments for and examples of the value of cash have piled up this year and come into sharper relief. At the same time, our progress in turning that into a new cash era remains limited. Concurrently, the landscape for new digital payments has got more complicated and big issues remain to be resolved. So we end the year with many positives and much to do.

We are in a different place compared with even two years ago and the conversation about the future of cash is changing substantially. This was visible in the agenda and the conversations of this year’s Future of Cash conference, which took place in Warsaw at the start of November.

Pascal Wicht presented SICPA’s research on Gen Z at the Future of Cash. The title of the presentation was ‘Cash in a Careless System – Reframing Value, Autonomy and Resilience’. And it was a thought-provoking presentation.

The ATMIA held its Europe and Emerging Markets summit in London 14-15 October.

Increasingly one hears people speak about cash and payments co-existing in a symbiotic relationship. Generally this is in countries facing a sharp decline in cash use for transactions.

The International Association of Currency Affairs (IACA) held an online round table discussion considering the Future of Cash Management Services, with a particular focus on cash in transit (CIT) companies, cash management companies (CMC) and cash processors. The panellists were Charles Nwodo from Integrated Cash Management Services in Nigeria, Tanja Kulisch-Ziemens from the International Security Ligue (ISL) and Scott Forster from the CPT Group. David Faglemen from Enryo Consulting was the moderator.

Speaking at the ATMIA’s Europe and Emerging Markets summit, Benjamin Sahel from the European Central Bank (ECB) quoted Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, and Piero Cipollone, member of the ECB’s Executive Board, to reassure the audience that the ECB sees cash as indispensable and will ensure it remains available and easy to use.