Swiss lawmakers have voted to support enshrining the right to use cash in the nation’s constitution.
Switzerland’s decision to constitutionally protect cash usage stems from a 2025 referendum counter-proposal, reflecting a 52% public preference to maintain the Swiss franc amid rising digital payment trends, as reported by SWI swissinfo.ch on May 3, 2025, countering global shifts toward cashless systems.
This move contrasts with the World Economic Forum’s Davos headquarters in Switzerland, which often advocates for digital economies, highlighting a surprising local resistance to centralized financial control, a tension also noted in Hungaryâs 2025 cash-right amendment.
Research from McKinsey & Company (2020) shows 80% of U.S. shoppers used digital payments post-pandemic, yet studies like those in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization (2021) suggest cash preserves privacy and autonomy, supporting Switzerland’s proactive stance against potential digital surveillance risks.
Cash will be guaranteed by the Swiss constitution – SWI swissinfo.ch
2025: Cash is losing out to plastic or digital cash in Switzerland, but itâs unlikely that coins and notes will become obsolete. Read more: Why the Swiss still like to have cash in hand ¡ The government rejected the initiative but opted for a counter-proposal. It plans to enshrine in the constitution the guarantee of cash supplies and the use of the franc as the national currency.
swissinfo.ch