DNB Commissions Study into Future Cash Infrastructure

The Dutch National Bank (DNB) has commissioned a medium-term study to consider the cash infrastructure needed by the Netherlands. In October 2020 the DNB estimates that cash use at the point-of-sale had fallen to 20%.

This is a dramatic fall from its 2019 estimate of 32% and clearly the COVID-19 pandemic has driven this. The DNB is clear that it is important that cash is still accepted, and the cash can be accessed. But it is equally clear that the necessary infrastructure is under pressure given these volumes and circumstances.

A DNB ‘Occasional Studies’ paper (18-2) written by Jurgen Spaanderman has been published which gives the background and the purpose of the study. It establishes why the DNB regards cash as necessary and then describes why it is needed.