Paytrans Survey Report 2020.en

Survey on Payment Methods
2020
Survey on Payment Methods
2020
Survey on payment behaviour and
the use of cash in Switzerland
Contents
Page
Preface 4
1 Executive summary 5

2 Rationale, scope and methodology 7
3 Ownership and assessment of payment instruments 9

3.1 Ownership of payment instruments 9
3.1.1 Ownership of cash for payment purposes 9
3.1.2 Ownership of non-cash payment instruments 12
3.1.3 Conclusion 13
3.2 Assessment of payment instrument attributes 14

4 Payment behaviour 16
4.1 Payment method use for non-recurring payments 17
4.1.1 Overview 17
4.1.2 Key factor: Payment amount 18
4.1.3 Key factor: Payment location 20
4.1.4 Key factor: Socio-demographic characteristics 21
4.1.5 Conclusion 22
4.2 Payment method use for recurring payments 24
4.3 Factors influencing choice of payment method
for everyday use 25
4.3.1 Prerequisites: Acceptance and availability 26
4.3.2 Individual preferences and needs 27
4.3.3 Self-assessment of changes in payment behaviour 29
4.3.4 Conclusion 30

5 Use of innovation-driven payment methods 31
5.1 Contactless card payments 31
5.2 Mobile payment apps 33
5.3 Invoice approval with eBill 35
5.4 Outlook and socio-demographic aspects 36

6 Use of cash as store of value 37
6.1 Store-of-value behaviour 38
6.2 Store-of-value reasons 40
6.3 Conclusion 40

Appendix 1: Survey methodology 41
Appendix 2: Distribution of sample by socio-demographic
characteristics 42
Appendix 3: Glossary 43
Survey on Payment Methods 2020 3

Preface
A remarkable technological development is currently The findings from the survey are also of particularly great
underway in payment transactions, with people profiting interest in the current environment and contribute to
from a growing range of non-cash payment methods. an in-depth discussion of questions concerning payment
This trend, compounded by the coronavirus pandemic, behaviour. Furthermore, the SNB survey provides
means that the replacement of cash with innovation- important information regarding the cash requirement and
driven payment methods is increasingly a topic of public the efficiency of the existing payment transactions system.
discussion. But how significantly has the Swiss population It therefore helps the SNB to fulfil two statutory tasks
actually adapted its payment behaviour in recent years, of equal importance: ensuring the supply and distribution
and what motivates its choice of payment method? How of cash, and facilitating and securing the operation of
important are innovation-driven payment options? And, cashless payment systems. Only when the population has
more fundamentally, how much freedom of choice is there confidence in both cashless payment transactions and
among the various payment methods? Has there been in cash itself can it have genuine freedom of choice in
a change in the acceptance and availability of the various selecting a payment method.
payment methods in Switzerland?
I hope you find this study interesting and informative.
These and other questions are the focus in the second
representative survey on payment methods, commissioned Fritz Zurbrügg
by the SNB and carried out in autumn 2020. The survey Vice Chairman of the Governing Board
provides detailed insight into payment behaviour and the
population’s attitudes regarding various payment options.
Considerable thanks are thus due to the respondents.
This review is only possible thanks to their willingness
to openly provide information about their payment
behaviour and the underlying motives.
The survey results show that, in terms of the number

of payments made, cash continues to be the payment
instrument most frequently used by the Swiss population.
Compared with 2017, however, when the first payment
methods survey was carried out, its usage share has
dropped significantly. The coronavirus pandemic has
given additional impetus to this shift from cash to non-
cash payment methods. Additionally, the 2020 survey
on payment methods demonstrates clearly that the various
payment instruments complement one another well in
different situations. Thanks in part to the broad availability
of a range of means of payment, Swiss residents continue
to feel scarcely any restrictions in their choice of payment
method. I am certain that it will continue to be possible
for people to choose freely between cash and cashless
payment methods in future, and that this freedom will
continue to be of importance to them.
4 Survey on Payment Methods 2020

1
Executive summary
In autumn 2020, the Swiss National Bank As before, the population does not feel particularly
conducted its second representative survey on restricted in its choice of payment method.
payment methods, the first one being in 2017. Overall, it rates the availability and acceptance of both
As part of the survey, some 2,100 people resident in cash and non-cash payment instruments as good. The
Switzerland were interviewed about their payment perceived acceptance of non-cash payment methods has
behaviour and the reasons behind their choices. Following increased further since 2017. As for cash, information
the personal interviews, participants then recorded detailed provided by respondents indicates certain restrictions on
information in a payment diary on all non-recurring its acceptance. Such constraints on cash acceptance are
payments (e.g. in supermarkets and restaurants or online) likely a reflection of the fact that shops are frequently
executed over a period of seven consecutive days. Overall, recommending cashless payment as a result of the
around 22,000 such transactions were recorded in the pandemic.
payment diaries. Furthermore, at the end of the one-week
period, the respondents were requested to provide details In specific terms, the 2020 survey on payment methods
of their recurring payments (e.g. rent, insurance premiums yields the following results:
and similar), irrespective of whether or not these
payments were actually made during the reference week. Cash and debit cards continue to be the two most
widely owned payment instruments among
The survey shows significant changes in payment Switzerland’s population. In total, 97% of respondents
method use compared with 2017, with large shifts keep cash in their wallets or at home to cover day-to-day
from cash to non-cash payment methods. These expenses, while 92% own a debit card (2017: 88%) and
shifts can be observed to varying degrees across all 78% hold a credit card (2017: 63%).
population groups. They have also been more pronounced
than respondents in 2017 had anticipated. Moreover, the In terms of the number of non-recurring payments
majority of respondents expect the growing trend towards made, cash continues to be the payment instrument
cashless payments to continue in the years ahead. most frequently used by the population, although
its usage share has dropped significantly compared
On the one hand, these changes reflect the fact that with 2017. While 70% of these payments were still being
the population has become increasingly aware and settled in cash in 2017, in 2020, this share was 43%. The
appreciative of innovations in the field of cashless corresponding shares for debit and credit card payments,
payment methods. In terms of ease of use and speed, the meanwhile, have climbed to 33% (2017: 22%) and 13%
debit card now has a better ranking than cash. At highly (2017: 5%) respectively. As before, there is an above-
frequented points of sale (POS), it has replaced cash as the average number of cash-oriented consumers in Italian-
preferred payment instrument. This can be attributed speaking Switzerland, in the 55-and-over age group and
in particular to the now widespread ownership and use in households with low to medium income levels.
of payment cards with the contactless function.
In terms of the transaction value of non-recurring
On the other hand, the coronavirus pandemic has payments, the debit card has replaced cash
further accelerated the changes in payment method as the payment instrument with the highest share.
use. One-third of respondents state that they have made The value share for debit card payments currently amounts
lasting adjustments to their payment behaviour as a result to 33% (2017: 29%), that of cash stands at 24% (2017:
of the pandemic and are now making increased use of card 45%). This development is largely due to the fact that cash
payments. It is, however, not possible to make a statement is now only the most widely used payment method for
on the relative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on small amounts (of less than CHF 20), whereas in 2017,
changes in payment method use based on the survey data. it was still predominantly used for payments of up to
CHF 50.

Contactless card payments are widespread
in Switzerland. A total of 92% of all respondents hold
a debit or credit card with the contactless payment
function, with 60% of debit and credit cardholders stating
that they always or usually pay using the touch-free
function.
Mobile payment apps are registering robust growth.

Having played only a marginal role in 2017 (11%), mobile
payment apps have recorded a sharp rise in ownership
since then (2020: 48%). At the same time, their usage in
terms of volume and value has increased from virtually
zero to 5% and 4% respectively.
By far the most widely used method for settling

recurring payments in Switzerland is via online
banking transfers. In terms of transaction value, 62%
of all payments are settled via online banking. Payments
made using direct debit and eBill follow with shares
of 17% and 6% respectively. The small share for eBill is
likely primarily due to the relatively low level of
familiarity with this form of payment and its functions
to date.
In addition to its function as a method of payment,

cash also plays a significant role for households
in Switzerland as a store of value. Cash is kept for this
purpose by 70% of survey respondents. The majority
of respondents state that they keep cash reserves of less
than CHF 1,000, with the 100-franc note cited as the
most commonly held banknote. The main reasons cited
for using cash as a short or long-term store of value
are the immediate availability of cash when required and,
to a lesser extent, provision for crisis situations.
The report is structured as follows: Chapter 2 addresses

the rationale, scope and methodology of the survey.
In chapter 3, the focus is on the ownership and assessment
of the various payment instruments among the Swiss
population. Chapter 4 examines payment behaviour and
the choice of payment method, and identifies the influencing
factors. The use of innovation-driven payment methods
is explored in chapter 5, while chapter 6 discusses the use
of cash as a store of value.

2
Rationale, scope and methodology
Under the National Bank Act, the SNB is tasked with not taken into account. The term ‘payment location’
pursuing a monetary policy serving the interests of the is broadly defined for the purposes of this survey, and
country as a whole. It ensures price stability, while taking encompasses not only specific physical POS (e.g.
due account of economic developments. Among other supermarkets, restaurants), but also online purchases,
things, this requires it to ensure the supply and distribution counterparties (e.g. person-to-person, or P2P) and
of cash in Switzerland. Additionally, the SNB is entrusted payment purposes (e.g. eating and drinking out).
with the task of facilitating and securing the operation Information on when cash in wallets was replenished
of cashless payment systems. By fulfilling these equally or spent was also recorded.
important tasks, the SNB creates the necessary conditions
for the public to choose its preferred method of payment With regard to recurring payments, respondents were
for each individual transaction. asked in a supplementary question for each expenses
category to make one entry for the amounts, frequency
In-depth knowledge and understanding of the use of and payment method used. Details of these payments
cash and non-cash payment instruments1 and also of the were provided from bank statements or from memory. In
associated developments help the SNB to fulfil the a separate list, respondents were asked to specify all the
aforementioned tasks. Surveys that investigate the payment payment instruments they own. Compared with the 2017
behaviour of the public are a widely used method in this payment methods survey, this information, on recurring
regard, also internationally.2 In autumn 2020, a payment payments and ownership of payment methods, constitutes
methods survey was therefore conducted for the second a significant expansion.
time on the SNB’s behalf, following the first survey
in 2017. The market research institute DemoSCOPE was
commissioned by the SNB to conduct the survey. Between
The survey focuses on the payment behaviour of August and November 2020, the institute interviewed
households and has the following objectives: 2,126 Swiss residents aged 15 and over. Table 2.1
summarises the key aspects of the study design. Further
– Gain insights into the prevalence and use of payment details on the methodology can be found in Appendix 1.
methods as well as the reasons behind the choice of
payment instrument
– Track the changes in payment behaviour
– Gain a deeper understanding of the use of innovation-

driven payment methods
– Collect data on the use of cash as a store of value
The survey consists of a telephone interview on payment

habits and attitudes towards the various payment
instruments, on the one hand, and the keeping of
a payment diary, on the other. In the diary, respondents
recorded details of all payments executed over a period
of seven consecutive days, providing information on
the amounts spent as well as the payment location and
payment instrument used in each case. Recurring
payments (rent, insurance premiums or similar) were
1 The terms ‘payment method’ and ‘payment instrument’ are used

synonymously throughout this report; cf. glossary.
2 For instance, the Deutsche Bundesbank’s Payment behaviour in Germany or
the European Central Bank’s Study on the payment attitudes of consumers in the
euro area (SPACE).

Table 2.1
key aspects of survey design

Description
Method Computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) and paper or online diary

Survey population Language-assimilated resident population of Switzerland aged 15 and over
Sampling procedure Stratified random sample at individual level based on FSO sampling frame
Field time Mid-August to mid-November 2020
Gross sample 2,434 interviews and 2,144 diaries
Adjusted sample 2,126 interviews and diaries
Incentive SNB giveaway and postal cheque/bank transfer to the value of CHF 100
Source(s): SNB

3
Ownership and assessment of payment instruments
Based on the responses provided in the interviews, this

chapter explores which cash and non-cash payment
Key points instruments are owned by respondents (cf. chapter 3.1) and
discusses how the attributes of these payment methods
– Cash and debit cards continue to be the two are rated (cf. chapter 3.2). Describing the ownership and
most widely owned payment instruments assessment of the various payment instruments establishes
among Switzerland’s resident population. the framework within which households – in their own
– Some 97% of respondents keep cash in their estimation – operate when making their payments. This is
wallets or at home to cover day-to-day particularly relevant later in the report, when the factors
expenses. At CHF 138, the average amount influencing the choice of payment method are examined
of cash held in a wallet has changed little (cf. chapter 4.3).
compared with 2017 (CHF 133).
– The 200-franc and 1000-franc notes are still 3.1 Ownership of payment instruments
widely held among the population, though
they are primarily used for more expensive In a first step, the ownership of cash for payment purposes
purchases that occur less frequently. is addressed (cf. chapter 3.1.1). This includes a detailed
– The share of respondents who hold debit (92%) account of the way in which cash is obtained. Subsequently,
or credit (78%) cards has increased further from the ownership, withdrawal and use of large-denomination
the already high levels in 2017. banknotes are treated separately. In a second step, the
– The most substantial rise in ownership was ownership of and access to non-cash payment instruments
seen in the case of innovation-driven payment is explored on the basis of a self-assessment by the
methods, such as mobile payment apps (48%; respondents (cf. chapter 3.1.2).
2017: 11%).
– Compared with 2017, there have been significant 3.1.1 O wnership of cash for payment
changes in respondents’ assessment of payment purposes
instruments in terms of security, acceptance, Almost all respondents use cash for payment purposes,
ease of use, speed and cost. The debit card now with 97% saying they keep cash in their wallets or at
ranks highest in three of these categories, home to cover day-to-day expenses. The average amount
narrowly making it the best-rated payment of cash held by respondents in their wallets is CHF 138,
instrument overall. which is almost unchanged compared with the 2017 survey
(CHF 133). Most survey participants continue to hold
rather small amounts of cash, while a few respondents
report carrying quite high amounts on their person. This
becomes evident when the average is compared with
the median.1 At CHF 90 (2017: CHF 99), the median is
substantially lower than the average.
As in 2017, median cash holdings in wallets vary quite

considerably in certain socio-demographic groups
(cf. chart 3.1). Overall, however, the pattern across these
groups remains unchanged, although in some cases it
is more pronounced in quantitative terms. The greatest
differences continue to be seen between the age groups.
In the 55-and-over age group, median holdings of cash are
now almost three-and-a-half times the amounts held
by those aged 15 to 34 (2017: two-and-a-half times). With
regard to the language regions, respondents in Italian-
1 The median is also referred to as the middle value: 50% of respondents report
a lower amount than the median and 50% report a higher amount.

speaking Switzerland once again have the largest median respondents appear satisfied with the cash withdrawal
amounts of cash in their wallets, while those in the options in Switzerland. A large majority (92%) is of the
French-speaking part of the country carry the smallest view that there are sufficient ways to access cash.
amounts. Compared with 2017, there was a substantial Moreover, three-quarters of respondents found that the
decline in cash holdings in the Italian and French-speaking selection of cash withdrawal methods has either increased
regions, while the average amount held in wallets in or not changed in the last two years, whereas one-quarter
German-speaking Switzerland hardly changed. In terms had the impression that there were fewer options available.
of distribution by income group, it is worth noting that The decline in withdrawal options is perceived very
respondents in the two highest income brackets hold differently, especially across age groups. While 29% of
significantly less cash than in 2017. The changes in respondents aged 55 and over felt there was a decrease,
distribution across both the age and the income groups only 15% in the youngest age group were of the same
are consistent with changes related to ownership of opinion; among those aged 35 to 54, the figure was 26%.
non-cash and innovation-driven payment methods in
the respective groups (cf. chapters 3.1.2 and 5). As regards the main reasons for withdrawing cash, the one
given most by respondents was that the cash was intended
Cash withdrawals either for immediate purchases (63%) or to top up the
In principle, there are several ways for households to amount of cash in their wallets for forthcoming purchases
access cash holdings. The primary source is likely to be (38%). One reason that was mentioned far less frequently
linked to a bank or postal account. Almost all respondents than in the 2017 survey was the withdrawal of cash for bill
report having at least one bank account and thus access payments at post office counters, which fell from 17% of
to cash services (cf. box ‘Digital banks and fintechs in area responses to 5%. The proportions among respondents aged
of cashless payment transactions’). 55 and over (9%), as well as in the two lowest household
income groups (12% and 9%) and in Italian-speaking
Of all respondents, 92% state that they typically make Switzerland (12%), were higher than the average, but
cash withdrawals. As in 2017, ATMs are once again cited likewise lower than in 2017.
as being the most frequently used sources of accessing
cash, with 87% of respondents saying they primarily use The most frequently obtained denominations at respondents’
this channel. Meanwhile, a total of 8% usually withdraw main sources of supply are the 100-franc, 50-franc and
cash at a bank or post office counter.2 On the whole, 20-franc notes. For all three denominations, more than
50% of respondents state that they usually withdraw
the cash in these banknotes (cf. chart 3.2). The dominance
2 Given that the two questions on cash withdrawals and the main source of
cash were asked independently of each other, the percentages provided do not
of the 100-franc note has declined since the last survey,
have to correspond exactly. In particular, respondents may have indicated that especially at ATMs, and withdrawals are now more evenly
they do not generally withdraw cash, but may also have noted that, if they do,
they primarily withdraw it from ATMs.
distributed across these three denominations. The more
Chart 3.1
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Value in CHF of Swiss franc cash (notes and coins) in wallet; from payment diary
150
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2017 2020
Question: How much cash (Swiss franc coins and notes) do you carry in your wallet or on your person?
Basis: All respondents (2,126 people) by socio-demographic group (cf. appendix 2)
Point of capture: At the beginning of keeping the payment diary
1 The income indicated is the monthly gross household income of respondents in Swiss francs.
Source(s): SNB

balanced prevalence of these notes could also be related Digital banks and fintechs in area of cashless payment
to the fact that the introduction of a new ATM software, transactions
concluded in October 2020, gave more customers In addition to traditional banks, there are also a large
the opportunity to determine which denominations number of ‘new’ providers in the area of cashless
are dispensed at ATMs. payment transactions, namely digital banks and
fintechs domiciled in Switzerland and abroad. They are
Large-denomination banknotes characterised by the fact that they use digital offerings
Despite being withdrawn less frequently – as seen in to attract new customers and do not operate any
chart 3.2 – the 200-franc and 1000-franc notes nevertheless physical branches. The survey interviews reveal that
account for a large share of the value of banknotes in virtually all respondents have at least one banking
circulation due to their higher value (end-2020: 76% of relationship, with 8% holding an account at either
total banknotes in circulation).3 Against this background, a digital bank or a fintech. Accounts with the latter two
the question arises as to how the two largest denominations institutions are more commonly held by men, by
are distributed among the population and for what respondents in the two younger age groups and by
purposes they are used. those in the highest income bracket.
Overall, 40% of respondents indicate that they have had The main reasons given by respondents who hold
at least one 1000-franc note in their possession in the last such an account for using these digital options are the
one to two years; for the 200-franc note, the corresponding lower fees compared with traditional banks (51%)
figure was 80% (cf. chart 3.3). The share of those in and in particular the relatively low cost of international
possession of a 1000-franc note has thus remained payments (42%). In addition, just under one-third find
unchanged since 2017, while considerably more respondents them easier to use and make payments with. Digital
have reported owning a 200-franc note (2017: 66%). bank accounts are rarely used as savings or salary
The distribution across the various socio-demographic accounts. This suggests that the services offered by
characteristics has thus been retained and essentially these new providers are used to complement those of
corresponds to the distribution of cash holdings in general. traditional banks. While in the case of transaction
accounts there is a certain shift to digital banks and
fintechs for cost reasons, other banking operations
continue to be settled at traditional banks.
3 Source: SNB data portal, data.snb.ch, Table selection, Swiss National Bank,
Key figures for the SNB, Banknotes and coins in circulation.
Chart 3.2
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Shares of basis in percent (multiple answers possible); from personal interview
10-franc note
20-franc note
50-franc note
100-franc note
200-franc note
1000-franc note
Don't know/No answer
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Question: In which denomination do you usually withdraw cash at the preferred source?
Basis: All respondents holding a bank account and withdrawing cash at a preferred source (2,001 people)
Source(s): SNB

The principal intended use of the 200-franc and 3.1.2 O wnership of non-cash payment
1000-franc notes is to pay in cash for goods and services instruments
(cf. chart 3.4), a purpose that has grown in prominence According to the survey, the Swiss population owns an
since 2017. The most frequently given use for the average of four different non-cash payment instruments
1000-franc note is now also the payment of goods and per capita.4, 5 These increasingly also include innovation-
services, this having been only the second most-cited driven payment methods (cf. chapter 5). In particular,
reason in 2017. When the 1000-franc note is used by Swiss the number of respondents using mobile payment apps is
households to purchase goods, it tends to be primarily for now considerably higher; the share of those in possession
cars (37% of respondents who pay for purchases with this of such a payment instrument has more than quadrupled
note) or for furniture and fittings (15%). The decreasing since 2017, from 11% to 48% (cf. chart 3.5). Use of mobile
prominence of payments at post office counters as a use for payment apps is particularly prevalent among certain
these two large-denomination banknotes is noticeable. socio-demographic groups. For instance, respondents aged
While this was the primary use for the 1000-franc note in 15 to 34 (67%) as well as those with higher incomes (64%)
2017, the latest survey findings reveal that it is now in cite mobile payment apps considerably more frequently
second position, with just half the number of mentions. than the relevant peer groups. A significant proportion of
Still of minor relevance for both these denominations respondents also mention online payment methods (31%)
is their use as a store of value (cf. chapter 6) and for and online banking (77%).6 In terms of ownership, the
gifting purposes.
4 This refers to the number of different categories of non-cash payment

instruments. The survey thus ascertains whether respondents own a specific
type of card (e.g. debit card), but not how many cards of that type; the same
also applies to all other types of payment methods in the survey.
5 In 2017 respondents reported having an average of 2.2 non-cash payment
instruments at their disposal. The marked difference from the current survey
may be attributed in particular to the fact that in 2020, there were considerably
more response options available than in 2017. The 2017 survey only explicitly
mentioned debit and credit cards as well as other payment cards and mobile
payment apps, while other payment methods could be listed under ‘Other’.
Considering such a lower number of response options, it is not surprising that
a systematically lower number of payment methods were specified.
6 Online payment methods and online banking were not explicitly provided as
response options in the 2017 survey. For this reason, the number of mentions
is likely to have significantly under-represented actual ownership in 2017, with
the result that the increase up to 2020 has been overestimated. In 2017, online
payment methods were mentioned by 6% of respondents and online banking
by 30%.
Chart 3.3
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Shares of relevant basis in percent; from personal interview
100
80
60
40
20
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1000-franc note 200-franc note 2017

Question: Have you owned one (or more) 1000-franc or 200-franc note(s) in the last 1–2 years?
Basis: All respondents (2020: 2,126 people; 2017: 1,968 people) or respondents by socio-demographic group (cf. appendix 2)
Source(s): SNB

latter has now become as widespread as credit cards, Chart 3.5
which also saw a rise since 2017 (up from 62% to 78%). �� -��
Among the non-cash payment instruments, the debit ��
card remains at the top of the list, with 92% of respondents Shares of basis in percent (multiple answers possible); from personal
reporting owning one.7 interview
100
3.1.3 Conclusion
Overall, cash remains the most prevalent method of 80
payment in Switzerland in terms of ownership. It is
60
apparent, however, that newly emerging innovation-driven
payment methods are becoming increasingly widespread 40
among the population. In particular, a much larger
proportion of the population now owns a selection of non- 20
cash payment instruments. Owing to these developments, 0
the population has a wider range of payment methods
rd
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ap en
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at its disposal on average than in 2017. This has further
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improved on what was already a good starting point,
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enabling consumers to choose a payment method that is
ob
nl
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ideally adapted to the payment situation and best suits
their individual preferences and needs. Chapter 4 explains 2017 2020
how this is ultimately reflected in actual payment Question: Other than cash, numerous (non-cash) payment methods are also
behaviour and in the choice of payment method on available. Which of the following non-cash payment instruments do you own?
a day-to-day basis. Basis: All respondents (2020: 2,126 people; 2017: 1,968 people)
Source(s): SNB
7 Detailed definitions of the individual non-cash payment instruments and

procedures can be found in the glossary.
Chart 3.4
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Shares of relevant basis in percent (multiple answers possible); from personal interview
Purchases (goods and services)

Payment of bills at bank or post office counter
Payment to bank or postal account
Store of value
Gift
Other or no response
Return transfer
Holidays
Exchange for smaller notes
Exchange for foreign currency
0 20 40 60 80
1000-franc note (841) 200-franc note (1,699)

Question: What did you use the 1000-franc or 200-franc note for, or, what do you use 1000-franc or 200-franc notes for in general?
Basis: Respondents who have owned one (or more) 1000-franc or 200-franc note(s) in the last 1–2 years (cf. legend)
Source(s): SNB

3.2 Assessment of payment instrument function in payment cards and the growing familiarity
attributes with mobile payment apps. Even if this does not directly
improve the ranking of these methods of payment in
In addition to familiarity with and ownership of payment terms of speed, the bar by which cash is measured now
methods, respondents were also asked about their appears to be higher.
overall assessment of payment instruments with respect
to security, acceptance, ease of use, speed and cost. The Like the debit card, the credit card now also ranks one
question here is restricted to the more widespread methods place higher relative to the other payment methods in
of payment which could be used directly at the payment terms of ease of use and speed, and is rated the second-best
location – cash, debit and credit cards, and mobile payment instrument in these categories. The better ratings
payment apps. for debit and credit cards in terms of ease of use and speed
are likely due to the introduction and increased availability
In most cases, the various payment instruments were rated of the contactless payment technology, as well as to the
good to very good with respect to these attributes, increase in the limit for contactless payments not requiring
although there were some noticeable differences compared a PIN from CHF 40 to CHF 80 on account of the
with the 2017 survey. These relate not only to the coronavirus pandemic (cf. chapter 5.1). The credit card
evaluation of the individual payment methods in absolute continues to be ranked worst in terms of cost. Despite the
terms, but also to their ranking and to their evaluation improved rating in absolute terms, mobile payment apps
in relative terms (cf. chart 3.6). The debit card now ranks have remained in last place relative to the other payment
highest in three of the five assessment categories (security, methods with respect to security, acceptance and ease
ease of use, speed), narrowly making it the best-rated of use. They moved up one place with regard to speed and
payment instrument overall and replacing cash in top cost, and are now ranked second best for the latter category.
position. This results mainly from the fact that cash, in
absolute terms, is rated less favourably – almost across the
board – than in 2017, while the evaluation of the debit
card has hardly changed. Cash continues to get the best
rating for acceptance and cost, although with a notably
lower score for the former in particular. This could
also be a result of the acceptance constraints during the
coronavirus pandemic (cf. chapter 4.3). Furthermore, cash
has lost out on first place with regard to ease of use and
speed. In fact, where speed is concerned, cash has moved
from first to last position in the overall ranking. This may
be a consequence of increased use of the contactless
Chart 3.6
��

Rating on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 7 (very good); from personal interview
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Security Acceptance Ease of use Speed Cost
Cash Debit card Credit card Mobile payment apps 2017
Question: How do you assess the various payment methods with regard to the following aspects? It is irrelevant to your answer whether or not you own these payment
methods.
Basis: All respondents (2020: 2,126 people; 2017: 1,968 people)
Source(s): SNB

Expenses management ��
Besides their primary purpose of settling payments, ��
payment instruments can also help households keep Rating on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 7 (very good); from personal
track of spending and not exceed a given budget. interview
This attribute is often primarily associated with cash, 7

since the amount held in a wallet is a reflection
of immediately available funds. However, non-cash 6
payment methods, too, can be used to manage
expenses. In conjunction with technical solutions such 5
as online and mobile banking apps or mobile payment
apps, spending can be monitored easily and promptly. 1 4
The survey findings indicate that expenses 3

management is a central issue. Keeping track of
current expenses is important for 96% of respondents. Cash Debit card
This applies to almost the same extent for all Credit card Mobile payment apps
socio-demographic groups considered. The reason Question: How do you assess the various payment methods with regard to the
following aspects? It is irrelevant to your answer whether or not you own these
mentioned most by respondents as to why this is payment methods.
important to them is that they wish to stay within Basis: All respondents (2020: 2,126 people; 2017: 1,968 people)
a set budget. Either the budget is more or less Source(s): SNB
self-imposed (52%) or is dictated more directly by
income (23%), or the budget constraints arise from
the need to avoid debt (26%). It is followed by the debit card and mobile payment
apps, which receive similarly good ratings in this
When asked about the payment instrument that best respect. The credit card is rated worst.
helps manage spending at the POS, cash ranks highest
(cf. chart on assessment of expenses management The majority of respondents turn to online banking
attribute), as it did in a comparable question in 2017. (48%) or mobile banking (12%) as a general way to
monitor spending and keep expenses in check. The
second most frequently mentioned method also relies
on the list of bank account transactions and credit
1 Cf. also Till Ebner, Thomas Nellen and Jörn Tenhofen (2021), The rise of digital
watchers, SNB Working Papers, 2021-01, and Ulf von Kalckreuth, Tobias Schmidt card payments, albeit in the form of statements sent
and Helmut Stix (2014), Using cash to monitor liquidity – implications for
payments, currency demand and withdrawal behavior, Journal of Money, Credit
by post (25%). Using cash for this purpose is cited
and Banking, 46(8), pp. 1753–1785. by 11% of respondents.

4
Payment behaviour
Key points
– In terms of the number of transactions, cash – Owing to the overall high level of availability and
remains the most commonly used method of acceptance of both cash and non-cash payment
payment in Switzerland for settling non-recurring instruments, the population does not feel
payments on a day-to-day basis (43%). Compared particularly restricted in its choice of payment
with 2017 (70%), however, cash has lost method at the POS. While the acceptance of
considerable ground. non-cash payment instruments has improved
– The debit card (33%) and credit card (13%) have further, acceptance of cash has seen a slight
become more prominent, with the majority of decline as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
corresponding payments now being settled with – An individual’s perception of the ease of use and
the contactless function. Having hardly been used speed of a payment method influences their
at all in 2017, mobile payment apps have also choice of payment instrument in day-to-day
significantly increased their usage share (5%). payment situations. In this respect, the debit card
– In terms of transaction value, cashless payments has replaced cash as the preferred choice of
now have a share of 76%, compared with 55% in payment method at many key POS.
2017. In this regard, the debit card (33%) has – On the whole, the survey paints a picture of
replaced cash (24%) as the payment instrument a population that is increasingly aware and
with the highest value share. appreciative of the options available for non-cash
– By far the most widely used method for settling payment thanks to innovation in this area. The
recurring payments in Switzerland is via online coronavirus pandemic has further accelerated the
banking transfers (volume share: 49%; value changes in payment method use.
share: 62%); this is followed by direct debits and
eBill (volume share: 27%; value share: 24%).
This chapter first takes a look at Switzerland’s payment Chapter 4.3 focuses on classifying the changes in payment
method use for non-recurring payments (cf. chapter 4.1). method use observed since 2017. It explores the reasons
These include all types of everyday expenses (e.g. food, behind situational choices of payment method in everyday
clothes and restaurant visits), irrespective of whether life and describes respondents’ self-assessment of
or not these were conducted in person or remotely (online, previous and expected changes to their own payment
for instance). The evaluations are based on information behaviour.
recorded by respondents over the space of one week
in a payment diary. In addition to an overview of general
usage behaviour, chapter 4.1 focuses on the extent to
which differences in payment method use can be attributed
to the payment amount, payment location and socio-
demographic characteristics.
Non-recurring payments are distinct from recurring

payments, which are made, for example, to pay rent or
health insurance premiums. Recurring payments were
reported once by respondents at the end of the diary
week on the basis of related documentation. The use of
payment methods for these recurring payments is
described in chapter 4.2.

4.1 Payment method use for non-recurring instrument. Its growing prevalence has been influenced
payments by the significant rise in the use of the contactless
function; the share of touch-free debit card payments as
4.1.1 Overview a percentage of all transactions increased from 2% in 2017
A total of 21,853 non-recurring payments were recorded to 20%. As in 2017, the credit card follows in third place.1
in the 2,126 diaries (cf. table 4.1). Respondents made Its share rose from 5% to 13%, an increase that is also
an average of 1.47 payments per day, slightly lower than in mainly due to the greater number of contactless payments.
2017 (1.65). Meanwhile, the average transaction amount In total, touch-free card payments (including those with
increased to CHF 50 (2017: CHF 41). The median value of prepaid cards) climbed to 30% (2017: 4%). The volume
payments was CHF 19 (2017: CHF 16). share of mobile payment apps grew from almost zero to
5% (cf. chapter 5 for a detailed appraisal of the use of
In terms of the number of transactions, cash remains innovation-driven payment methods).
Switzerland’s most frequently used method of payment
for non-recurring payments, with a share of 43%
(cf. chart 4.1). In the space of three years, the share of cash
declined by 27 percentage points. With a share of 33%, 1 Figures for credit cards shall hereinafter also include payments made
the debit card is the second most frequently used payment with prepaid cards.
Charts 4.1
��

Shares of basis in percent; from payment diary Shares of basis in percent; from payment diary
Cash Cash
Debit card Debit card
Credit card Credit card
Online banking Online banking
Payments at post office counter Payments at post office counter
Online payment methods Online payment methods
Mobile payment apps Mobile payment apps
Other payment methods Other payment methods
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50
2017 share Of which, contactless

2020 share Of which, contactless
Basis: 21,853 transactions (2020); 22,517 transactions (2017) Basis: 2020: CHF 1,094,780; 2017: CHF 916,617
Source(s): SNB Source(s): SNB
Chart 4.2
�� -��

Cash (2,095)
Debit card (1,956)
Mobile payment apps (988)
Credit card (1,587)
Online banking (1,591)
Retail apps (497)
Other payment cards (458)
Online payment methods (639)
Reka money (442)
0 20 40 60 80 100
Daily 3–6 times per week 1–2 times per week 1–3 times per month
2–11 times per year Less or never Don't know/No answer
Question: How often do you generally use the following payment methods?
Basis: Respondents who own the respective payment instrument (cf. figures in brackets above)
Source(s): SNB

In terms of transaction value, the debit card now has the Chart 4.4
largest share, at 33%, representing an increase of around
4 percentage points since 2017. By contrast, the value ��
Median of relevant basis in CHF; from payment diary
share of cash payments dropped substantially from 45%
to 24%. Credit card payments follow in third place,
with a volume share of 18% (2017: 10%). The value share Cash
of transfers via online banking doubled in the three Mobile payment apps
years from 8% to 16%, while that of payments with mobile Contactless debit card
payment apps advanced from close to zero (2017: 0.2%)
Contactless credit card
to 4%.
Debit card
Not only do cash and debit cards account for a large share Online payment methods
of usage according to diary entries, they are also used
Credit card
frequently according to respondents’ self-assessment in
the interviews (cf. chart 4.2). Here, too, the decline in Online banking
cash usage is evident, however. While 95% of respondents
0 20 40 60 80 100
cited using cash at least once a week in 2017, this figure
was down to just 82% in 2020. By contrast, the share of Basis: 21,853 transactions with a total value of CHF 1,094,780
debit card usage rose in the same period by 4 percentage Source(s): SNB
points to 77%. Considerably more respondents now also

report using credit cards (43%; 2017: 27%) and mobile
payment apps (48%; 2017: 28%) at least once a week. The influence that the payment amount has on the payment
method used can also be seen in the respective median
4.1.2 Key factor: Payment amount amounts settled with the individual payment instruments.2
As already noted in 2017, the influence of the payment As in 2017, cash payments recorded a median value of
amount on the use of individual payment methods is CHF 12 (cf. chart 4.4). For mobile payment apps and
once again evident. The proportion of cash payments contactless debit card payments, the median accounts for
decreases considerably as the payment amount increases less than CHF 20. The median values for all other payment
(cf. chart 4.3). Whereas the majority of payments up to instruments were substantially higher, with CHF 40 for
CHF 50 were still made in cash in 2017, cash payments in non-contactless debit card payments, CHF 44 for online
2020 were only in the majority for amounts up to CHF 20. payment methods (e.g. PayPal) and CHF 62 for non-
In the CHF 50 to CHF 200 range, the bulk of payments contactless credit card payments. In the case of online
are settled by debit card. For larger amounts, there is banking transfers for non-recurring payments, the
a growing prominence of credit card payments and, median payment amount was CHF 95.
especially for payments in excess of CHF 1,000, of
transfers via online banking. Mobile payment apps, on
the other hand, register similarly high usage shares
for both small and medium amounts (up to CHF 100),
and thus show a less clear usage pattern with regard 2 The median is used here in order to avoid distortions owing to outliers
to payment amount. resulting from the less frequently used payment methods.
Chart 4.3
��

Shares of relevant value range in percent; from payment diary
Total
Up to CHF 5 (3,737)
CHF 5–20 (7,969)
CHF 20–50 (5,248)
CHF 50–100 (2,849)
CHF 100–200 (1,322)
CHF 200–1,000 (641)
CHF 1,000 or more (86)
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cash Debit card Credit card Other payment cards Online banking
Mobile payment apps Retail apps Online payment methods Other payment methods
Basis: 21,853 transactions amounting to CHF 1,094,780 (in total) or transactions by value range (cf. figures in brackets above)
Source(s): SNB

Table 4.1
payments recorded by socio-demographic characteristic

From diary entries
Number of Average number of Average amount
transactions transactions per per transaction
person per day in CHF
Total
Total 21 853 1.47 50.10
Gender
Male 10 957 1.49 50.65
Female 10 896 1.44 49.55
Age
15 to 34 years 5 426 1.27 42.60
35 to 54 years 8 075 1.59 50.15
55 years and over 8 352 1.51 54.90
Language region
German-speaking Switzerland 15 666 1.49 49.90
French-speaking Switzerland 5 185 1.42 51.10
Italian-speaking Switzerland 1 001 1.44 48.00
Residential environment
City/town (urban) 13 986 1.53 48.75
Conurbation (periurban) 4 566 1.41 55.00
Country (rural) 3 300 1.31 49.00
Level of education
Tertiary 10 531 1.60 50.95
Upper secondary 9 725 1.42 51.15
Compulsory 1 346 1.08 34.20
Monthly household income

Less than CHF 4,000 1 850 1.29 41.60
CHF 4,000 to 5,999 3 019 1.36 51.90
CHF 6,000 to 7,999 3 936 1.56 47.30
CHF 8,000 to 9,999 3 776 1.50 51.00
CHF 10,000 or more 7 922 1.57 53.45
Employment status
Employed 14 647 1.54 49.95
Unemployed 487 1.28 46.10
In training/education 1 357 0.99 27.25
Retired 4 772 1.48 57.60
Source(s): SNB

4.1.3 Key factor: Payment location Chart 4.6 illustrates the significant differences in the
In addition to the payment amount, the payment location usage shares of the individual payment methods based on
also has an influence on payment method use (cf. chart 4.5). payment location.3 Overall, it is apparent that cash has
As in 2017, the majority of non-recurring payments are become less important across all major payment locations,
made in shops selling day-to-day items (unchanged at while card payments have grown in prominence. Although
44%). The share of payments for eating and drinking out 41% of the population’s payments in shops selling day-
(including delivery services) – the second most used to-day items are made in cash (corresponding roughly
option – fell by 4 percentage points to 21%. By contrast, to the total across all payment locations), there are clearly
the volume share of online purchases climbed 3 percentage divergent patterns of use for the individual payment
points to 4%. Moreover, it was noted that payments in methods at most other payment locations. For instance,
shops selling consumer durables (e.g. furniture stores) cash continues to be used more often than average for
increased from 4% to 7%. These changes in consumption eating and drinking out (53% cash share), at vending
are likely due, at least to some degree, to shifts in consumer machines (62%) and for P2P payments (74%). It should
behaviour and to restrictions imposed by authorities in
response to the coronavirus pandemic. There have been no
significant changes from 2017 in the number of payments 3 This evaluation is based on volume shares; qualitatively speaking,
processed at any other payment locations. the statements apply equally to value shares.
Chart 4.5
��

Shares of relevant basis in percent; from payment diary
Shops selling day-to-day items

Eating and drinking out
Shops selling consumer durables
Vending machines
Petrol stations
Services outside the home
Online purchases
P2P payments
Recreation
0 10 20 30 40 50
2017 2020
Basis: 21,853 transactions (2020); 22,531 transactions (2017)
Source(s): SNB
Chart 4.6
��

Total
Shops selling day-to-day items (9,603)
Eating and drinking out (4,550)
Shops selling consumer durables (1,597)
Vending machines (1,208)
Petrol stations (1,046)
Services beyond the home (1,037)
Online purchases (843)
P2P payments (691)
Recreation (483)
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cash Debit card Credit card Other payment cards Online banking
Mobile payment apps Retail apps Online payment methods Other payment methods
Basis: 21,853 transactions (in total) or by payment location (cf. figures in brackets above)
Source(s): SNB

be noted that the cash share has also fallen sharply at 4.1.4 K ey factor: Socio-demographic
these payment locations since 2017. Debit card usage characteristics
shares at petrol stations (47%), in shops selling consumer In some cases, diary entries reveal substantial differences
durables (50%) and in shops selling day-to-day items in the use of individual payment methods among the
(42%) are considerably higher than the average (33%). socio-demographic groups.5 The corresponding pattern
The shares for credit card payments are above average in is similar to that of 2017. The age of respondents
shops for consumer durables (17%), at petrol stations continues to have a strong influence on payment method
(16%), and most especially for online purchases (38%). use (cf. chart 4.7). The proportion of payments processed
Where the latter is concerned, the credit card is by far with cash is higher in the 55-and-over age group than
the most widely used payment instrument, as was already by respondents on average. Although cash usage has also
the case in 2017. Having accounted for a very negligible decreased in this age group since 2017, the decline has
share across the board in 2017, mobile payment apps now been less pronounced than in the younger age categories.
make up a considerable share of the volume with regard Meanwhile, the majority of respondents in the youngest
to P2P payments (16%), online purchases (11%) and age group rely on the debit card (44%; 2017: 26%) for
payments at vending machines (8%) (cf. also chapter 5.2). payments, and also use mobile payment apps more
frequently than the peer groups. The shares of payment
Use of the individual payment methods continues to instruments in the middle age group of 35 to 54 year-
deviate most significantly from average usage in connection olds roughly reflect the usage shares across the entire
with online purchases. Besides the credit card, the population.
population also relies on online banking transfers (22%
volume share), online payment methods (12%) and mobile As in 2017, it is evident that household income has a major
payment apps (11%), with the latter posting the strongest influence on payment method use. As incomes rise, usage
growth since 2017, with an increase of 9 percentage points. of credit cards and mobile payment apps increases, while
By contrast, the prominence of the debit card (6%; 2017: cash usage declines. Debit card usage shares, by contrast,
19%) and of cash for online purchases has declined exhibit comparatively small fluctuations. There are still
considerably since 2017.4 While 9% of online purchases considerable variations between the language regions in
were still paid for with cash in 2017, it was practically payment method use. In the Italian-speaking part of the
no longer used for this purpose in 2020. country, cash continues to be used by the majority. At 57%,
4 With the launch and distribution of internet-enabled debit cards, it cannot be 5 Appendix 2 describes in detail the socio-demographic characteristics
ruled out that their share will increase again. and the breakdowns by group.
Chart 4.7
�� -��

Total
Gender
Male
Female
Age
15 to 34 years
35 to 54 years
55 years and over
Language region
German-speaking Switzerland
French-speaking Switzerland
Italian-speaking Switzerland
Income 1
Less than 4,000
4,000 to 5,999
6,000 to 7,999
8,000 to 9,999
10,000 or more
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cash Debit card Credit card Mobile payment apps Other payment methods
Basis: 21,853 transactions or number of transactions by socio-demographic group (cf. table 4.1)
Source(s): SNB

the usage share has thus declined far less significantly Based on the survey data, it is not possible to make a clear
since 2017 than in the rest of Switzerland. statement on the relative importance of the general trend
or the pandemic for changes in payment method use since
Differences in payment method use by gender and 2017. An initial, tentative assessment can be made with the
residential environment are also apparent, at least in help of a comparable study on payment method use from
certain cases. Women tend to use cash and debit cards Germany.7 A comparison of its findings with those in this
somewhat more frequently, while men opt for credit chapter suggests that the structural changes in Switzerland
cards and mobile payment apps. In contrast to 2017, there have taken place faster since 2017 than they have in
are noticeable differences between the residential Germany. Based on a similar point of departure, the share
environments with regard to the shares using cash and of cash usage in Germany fell between 2017 and 2020 by
non-cash payment instruments. Cash usage declined less 14 percentage points (in volume terms) and by 16 percentage
strongly among rural dwellers than among periurban points (in value terms). The decline was thus considerably
or urban dwellers. Almost half of the payments made by less pronounced than in Switzerland, where the drop
those living in rural areas were still being settled with amounted to 27 percentage points (in volume terms) and
cash. The growth in card payments was correspondingly 21 percentage points (in value terms). Given that both
low in this residential environment. Meanwhile, urban countries were similarly affected by the pandemic, it does
dwellers make the least use of cash and opt for card not appear plausible to attribute this significant disparity
payments the most. primarily to corresponding changes in consumer
behaviour. Rather, an important part of the difference is
4.1.5 Conclusion likely to result from varying trends that are independent
An analysis of the data provided in the payment diaries of the pandemic.
shows a marked change in payment method use among the
Swiss population between 2017 and 2020. While cash has
remained the most frequently used payment instrument, it
has lost considerable ground since the 2017 survey. In 7 Cf. Deutsche Bundesbank (2021), Payment behaviour in Germany in 2020 –
making payments in the year of the coronavirus pandemic. Survey on the use of
terms of transaction value, the debit card has replaced cash payment instruments.
as the payment instrument with the highest share. The
credit card and mobile payment apps have also gained
further prominence. In terms of volume and value, usage
shares for day-to-day payments have thus shifted
significantly from cash to non-cash payment methods,
especially to the debit card.
Findings of studies in other countries6 show a general

trend away from cash and towards a greater use of non- Impact of coronavirus pandemic on payment
cash payment methods. The fact that shifts in the same method use
direction can be observed in Switzerland since 2017 across There are two aspects of paramount importance with
all amount classes, major payment locations and socio- regard to the changes in payment behaviour from cash
demographic groups suggests that this change in trend in towards cashless payments since 2017, as described
payment behaviour is also significant in this country. in chapter 4. On the one hand, the changes reflect
Chapter 4.3 goes into more depth on the background for a general trend that is attributable to the adoption of
this trend. The coronavirus pandemic and the associated technological developments. This trend is reflected
shifts in consumer behaviour have further accelerated in the fact that non-cash payment methods have in the
these developments (cf. box ‘Impact of coronavirus meantime come to be considered, at least in part,
pandemic on payment method use’). as easier to use than cash (cf. chapters 3 and 4.3). On
the other hand, the results below suggest that the
coronavirus pandemic has further accelerated
developments towards increased cashless payments.
To begin with, diary entries show that the share of cash

usage for non-recurring payments was lower in the
phase beginning on 19 October 2020, when infection
rates were elevated and restrictions were heightened,
than between mid-August and mid-October (cf. chart
below on volume share by payment method). 1 This is
likely a reflection, at least in part, of temporary
1 19 October corresponds as closely as possible to the point in time when the

6 Cf. European Central Bank (2020), Study on the payment attitudes of second pandemic wave in Switzerland became evident. For the progression of
consumers in the euro area (SPACE). case numbers, cf. www.covid19.admin.ch/en/epidemiologic/case?detTime=total.

�� : ��
Cash
Debit card
Credit card
Mobile payment apps
0 10 20 30 40 50
Transactions before 19.10.2020 Transactions from 19.10.2020

Basis: 19,152 transactions before 19 October 2020; 2,700 transactions from 19 October 2020
Source(s): SNB
��: ��-��

��
No, 63%
Yes, 36%
adjustments in consumer behaviour, including the Other, 1%
tendency to purchase more in value terms at shops Don't know/No answer, 0%
selling day-to-day items and to eat out less frequently. Question: Do you feel that your payment behaviour, i.e. use of various payment
methods, has changed in a lasting way as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?
Basis: All respondents (2,126 people)
Moreover, according to respondents’ self-assessment,
Source(s): SNB
the pandemic has had a lasting impact on their payment
method use, with about one-third of them reporting that
their payment behaviour has changed for the long term
as a result (cf. chart below on long-term changes to
payment behaviour). Within this group of respondents, ��: �� -��
the majority state that they intend to consistently pay ��
more often by card or increasingly pay touch-free Shares of basis in percent (multiple answers possible); from personal
interview
(cf. chart below on type of long-term change to payment
behaviour). This self-assessment of sustained changes
in payment behaviour is consistent with the fact that Increased card use
in summer 2020 – in other words after the first wave of
Increased contactless use
the pandemic – cash withdrawals from ATMs recovered,
but remained below the pre-crisis level, while the Decreased cash use
number of card transactions at POS settled above the
pre-crisis level.2 No longer use cash
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Question: How has your payment behaviour, i.e. use of various payment methods,
changed in a lasting way as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?
2 Cf. SIX BBS Ltd, Monitoring Consumption Switzerland Basis: Respondents who indicate their payment behaviour has changed in a lasting
(https://monitoringconsumption.com), and Sébastien Kraenzlin,
way as a result of the coronavirus pandemic (792 people)
Christoph Meyer and Thomas Nellen (2020), COVID-19 and regional
shifts in Swiss retail payments, SNB Working Papers, 2020-15. Source(s): SNB

4.2 Payment method use for recurring premiums generally tend to be paid annually. For the
payments purposes of comparability of all recurring payments,
the payments and their values provided in this section
In addition to providing information on non-recurring are based on the annual figures.
payments made during the one-week diary period, survey
respondents were also asked to indicate their recurring The findings show that the Swiss population generally
payments.8 These payments are typically made with uses other methods of payment to settle recurring
varying frequency, for instance rent or telephone bills are payments than those for the day-to-day non-recurring
usually settled on a monthly basis, while insurance payments described in chapter 4.1 (cf. chart 4.8). Just
under half of the recurring payments – to the value of 62%
of payment amounts – are settled via online banking
8 In the 2017 survey, recurring payments were not recorded with the same level
transfers. In addition, direct debits and eBill are used for
of detail. For this reason, no comparisons will be made with 2017. around a quarter of payments (volume share: 26%;
Chart 4.8
�� : ��

Shares of relevant basis in percent; from responses on recurring payments
Online banking
Direct debit
eBill
Cash
Debit card
Other
Credit card
Transfer at post office counter
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Volume share Value share

Basis: 106,767 transactions carried out annually (volume share) to the value of CHF 95,500,259 (value share)
Source(s): SNB
Chart 4.9
�� : ��

Shares of relevant basis in percent; from responses on recurring payments
Total
Telephone bills, internet connection and TV (20,380)
Health insurance (17,380)
Rent (15,476)
Media and entertainment subscriptions (8,037)
Utilities (7,790)
Tax (7,273)
Pocket money (6,234)
Donations (4,259)
Insurance premiums (3,689)
Public transport travelcards (3,042)
Membership fees (2,283)
Support payments (2,194)
TV and radio licence (Serafe) (2,121)
Loan repayments (1,784)
Car tax (1,610)
0 20 40 60 80 100
Online banking Direct debit eBill Debit and credit card

Cash Transfers at post office counter Other payment methods
Basis: 107,395 recurring transactions 1 (in total) and by recurring expense (cf. figures in brackets above)
1 Transactions refer to the annual total of all transactions carried out. Details provided for monthly payments were annualised.
Source(s): SNB

value share: 24%). Cash is used to settle 7% of recurring for direct debits and payments at post office counters. By
payments, representing a value share of 3%. The debit card contrast, those aged 35 to 54 make greater use of online
is used for 5% of these payments and accounts for a value banking transfers. As with non-recurring payments, people
share of 4%. in Italian-speaking Switzerland also tend to be more cash
oriented.
The main reason for the pronounced difference in payment
method use compared with non-recurring payments is that 4.3 Factors influencing choice of payment
the underlying payment purposes are generally not linked method for everyday use
to a physical POS. The majority of recurring payments
are related to a means of communication (e.g. telephone Chapter 4.1 indicates that the use of individual payment
bills, internet connection and television) and account for instruments for non-recurring payments varies depending
a volume share of 19%. Around 16% of payments are made on the payment amount and payment location. This next
to settle bills for health insurance premiums and 14% chapter sheds greater light on the factors and considerations
go towards rent or mortgage interest. Recurring payments influencing this situational choice of preferred payment
for utilities and taxes as well as media and entertainment method. It also addresses the extent to which the importance
subscriptions account for 7% each. In terms of value, of these considerations has changed since 2017 and to
payments for rent or mortgage interest and for taxes are what extent this can explain the shifts observed in payment
the most significant at 30% each. Health insurance method use for non-recurring payments.
premiums account for a value share of 15%.
To this end, two aspects must be distinguished. The
Depending on the purpose, the prominence of the main prerequisites for genuine freedom of choice are the
individual payment methods differs for recurring acceptance of the preferred payment method at the POS
payments (cf. chart 4.9). For instance, transfers via online and the availability of the corresponding payment method
banking are the most prevalent payment method across (cf. chapter 4.3.1).9 Once these prerequisites have been
almost all payment purposes. There are a few exceptions: met, preferences and needs – as well as the assessment of
In the case of pocket money, cash is used for two-thirds how certain payment methods meet these needs –
of payments, while media and entertainment subscriptions influence the choice of payment method in the specific
are most frequently paid for with credit card. Travelcards payment situation (cf. chapter 4.3.2). The importance
for public transport, meanwhile, are purchased more often of these aspects for changes in payment method use is
than average with cash and debit card. This is likely due also evident in households’ backward-looking and
to the fact that, in many cases, these purchases are made at forward-looking self-assessments of payment behaviour
a physical POS. Moreover, rent and health insurance (cf. chapter 4.3.3).
premiums are paid more frequently by direct debit than
other payments.
Differences in payment method use for recurring payments

can also be observed in the context of socio-demographic
characteristics. Usage shares in the 55-and-over age group 9 Availability in this context is taken to mean that respondents have the relevant
non-cash payment instruments with them or carry sufficient cash on them to
are slightly lower for online banking transfers, but higher make a payment.
Chart 4.10
�� : ��-��

Total (21,853)
P2P payments (691)
Vending machines (1,208)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Non-cash payment methods not accepted

Question: Would the shop/payment recipient have accepted alternative payment methods other than cash?
Basis: Transactions by payment location (cf. figures in brackets above)
Source(s): SNB

4.3.1 Prerequisites: Acceptance and were settled using non-cash payment methods and that
availability cash would not have been accepted (cf. chart 4.11). First,
With a view to the mandatory prerequisites for using the these constraints on cash acceptance relate to online and
relevant preferred payment method in a specific payment mail order purchases, for which cash is not an option
situation in everyday life, it is evident that the acceptance for payment processing, or at least not an obvious one.11
of cash and non-cash payment instruments in Switzerland However, online purchases account for only a small
is generally deemed to be good. proportion of the transactions with limited acceptance of
cash. Second, and more importantly, there has been an
For non-cash payment methods, in particular, diary entries increase in the non-acceptance of cash payments in shops
show that acceptance is at a high level and has improved selling consumer durables (a constraint is cited in 34%
further since 2017 (cf. chart 4.10). In specific terms, of transactions at this payment location), in shops selling
respondents said that 11% of payments were settled in cash day-to-day items (20%) and for eating and drinking out
and that a cashless payment would not have been possible (17%). Since these payment locations are the three most
(2017: 18%). Of relevance are prior acceptance barriers widely used POS by the public, they account for the bulk
at individual specific payment locations, especially for of payments with limited cash acceptance.
P2P and vending machine payments, although these too
have decreased since 2017: for P2P payments, the absence Constraints on the acceptance of cash are possibly related
of a non-cash payment option was cited in 59% of cases to the widespread notices at shops and restaurants to the
(2017: 72%); for vending machine payments, the effect that non-cash payment methods are preferred –
corresponding figure was 29% (2017: 33%). This increased at least temporarily – in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
acceptance is attributable to technological adjustments Diary entries therefore likely overstate the actual non-
at vending machines and to the growing distribution and acceptance of cash. This interpretation is supported by the
use of mobile payment apps (cf. chapters 3 and 5). fact that nine out of ten respondents report that, prior to the
pandemic, they had not experienced a situation in which
In the case of cash, information provided by respondents
suggests certain constraints with regard to acceptance.10
For a total of 21% of payments, it was reported that they 11 It is interesting to note that around 40% of online purchases indicate that
cash payment would have been possible. This can be explained by the widespread
option available in Switzerland of making online purchases on account, the
invoice for which can then potentially be paid for with cash via transfer at post
office counters. Also feasible are online orders that are picked up at the POS
10 Since this aspect was not explicitly surveyed in 2017, comparative statements and paid for in cash, or meal deliveries that are ordered online and paid for in
are not possible. cash at the door.
Chart 4.11
�� : ��

Total (21,853)
Shops selling consumer durables (1,597)
0 10 20 30 40 50
Cash not accepted

Question: Would the shop/payment recipient have accepted cash as an alternative payment method?
Basis: Transaction by payment location (cf. figures in brackets above)
Source(s): SNB

cash was not accepted. It is not possible at this juncture 4.3.2 Individual preferences and needs
to estimate the extent to which the pandemic-related Working on the assumption that the prerequisites for
favouring of non-cash payment methods by shops will a free choice of payment method are readily met in
affect cash acceptance in the longer term. everyday life, the following still applies: Priority is given
to subjective factors. To start with, there are different
In order for there to genuinely be a choice in any given preferences among the population for a basic form of
payment situation, not only must the payment recipient payment (cash or non-cash). These preferences are,
accept the relevant payment methods, but the consumer in turn, influenced by individual needs and also by
must also have both sufficient cash holdings and the assessments of the extent to which a particular payment
desired non-cash payment method available. According method fulfils these needs in a given payment situation.
to diary entries, the consumer generally ensures that In this regard, the survey points to a change since 2017 –
this availability is guaranteed. For instance, for 13% of significant in part – which is in line with the change in
cashless payments, respondents report not having carried payment method use according to diary entries.
enough cash on them to pay the required amount in cash.
Conversely, in the case of 10% of cash payments, they Considering their basic preferences, respondents can be
report not having had an alternative available in the form assigned to one of three payment types – the cash consumer,
of an operational non-cash payment instrument. the cashless consumer and the situational consumer.
Respondents are referred to as cash consumers if they
Together with the finding that most respondents own themselves report always or predominantly using cash to
multiple payment instruments, as discussed in chapter 3, make their payments. The term cashless consumer applies
this information on availability likely explains why most to those who always or predominantly use non-cash
respondents do not perceive acceptance constraints on the payment methods. Meanwhile, the situational consumer
part of the payment recipient as a nuisance. Overall, 83% includes all those who indicate that they make both cash
of respondents state that they were not bothered by or did or non-cash payments, depending on the situation.
not even notice the described pandemic-related constraints
on cash acceptance. This is consistent with the fact that Compared with 2017, there have been substantial changes
only 8% of respondents cite acceptance as the most with regard to the distribution of these three payment
important criterion for their choice of payment method types. The share of cashless consumers has doubled in the
in normal circumstances (cf. chapters 3 and 4.3.2). space of three years and, at 53%, now accounts for more
than half of the population (2017: 26%). At the same time,
the share of cash consumers has decreased by half, from
Chart 4.12
�� -��

Total 2017
Total 2020
Gender
Male
Female
Age
15 to 34 years
35 to 54 years
55 years and over
Language region
Income 1
Less than 4,000
4,000 to 5,999
6,000 to 7,999
8,000 to 9,999
10,000 or more
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cash consumers (always or usually cash) Situational consumers (both) Cashless consumers (always or usually cashless)
Question: How do you generally pay for everyday expenses (e.g. food shopping)?
Basis: All respondents (2,126 people) or respondents by socio-demographic group (cf. appendix 2)
Source(s): SNB

39% to 19%. The share of situational consumers has also cashless consumers regard speed (29%) and ease of use
declined – albeit considerably less sharply – to 28% (2017: (28%) as key attributes, with security in third place (20%).
34%). These shifts in distribution extend across all income Ease of use (26%) and security (25%) are also essential
and age groups and are evident in all language regions factors for many situational consumers, while 16% of them
(cf. chart 4.12). The diaries reveal that the type-specific value speed. In the case of cash consumers, the focus
differences in the use of payment methods reflect the is on a completely different need, namely assistance in the
basic preferences, and that these differences have become management of expenses (35%), followed by security
even more pronounced since the 2017 survey. Accordingly, (25%) and ease of use (16%).
cashless consumers rely on non-cash payment instruments
for 74% of payments, which corresponds to an increase of Second, the choice of payment method depends to a large
22 percentage points in the usage share since 2017. extent on the respondents’ assessment of the capacity of
Situational consumers are also using cash far less frequently the individual payment instrument to actually meet these
than before and now make cash and non-cash payments needs in a given payment situation. A decisive factor
in roughly equal proportions (cash share in 2017: 67%). influencing this assessment is the payment location, as
Conversely, cash consumers continue to report a very high shown in chart 4.14. On the one hand, it is clear that the
level of cash usage; they settle 82% of their transactions frequently cited need for security as a decision criterion
in cash (2017: 88%). does not figure prominently in the actual payment
situation – evidence that the security of cash and cashless
When it comes to explaining preferences in payment payments is perceived as good in Switzerland.13 On
behaviour and the corresponding changes since 2017, the other hand, it is evident that convenience is by far the
three aspects stand out. most frequently cited reason for the payment method
typically chosen at a given payment location. This is
First, these preferences are an expression of different followed by the speed of the payment process. In other
needs that are brought to bear on the preferred choice words, respondents felt that the widespread need to
of payment method. This is suggested by a type-specific choose the payment method deemed most easy to use,
analysis of the responses to the question as to which depending on the situation, is readily met at most
payment method attribute respondents normally consider payment locations. Exceptions to this are online payment
to be the most important when choosing a payment locations and hotels and, to a lesser extent, vending
instrument (cf. chart 4.13).12 In a payment situation,
13 In this context, security is specifically defined as security against financial loss

as well as the secure use of a payment method. What is important here is that
12 Since this question was not asked in 2017, comparative statements the population generally considers the use of both cash and the various non-cash
are not possible. payment instruments to be secure (cf. chapter 3).
Chart 4.13
�� : ��

Total
Payment type
Cash consumer
Situational consumer
Cashless consumer
0 20 40 60 80 100
Ease of use Security Speed Expenses management Acceptance Hygiene Cost

Question: Which criterion do you usually deem most important when deciding which payment method to use?
Source(s): SNB

machines for drinks or snacks as well as taxis. At these a result of the pandemic (cf. box ‘Impact of coronavirus
payment locations, convenience and speed are cited pandemic on payment method use’).
considerably less frequently as selection criteria, while
acceptance and security are cited considerably more The current outlook also suggests that the move towards
often than elsewhere. an increased use of non-cash payment methods is likely
to continue (cf. chart 4.15), with 57% of respondents now
Third, the assessment of which payment method is the stating that they intend to pay less often in cash in the
most convenient to use at a given payment location has future (2017: 46%). This more frequently cited intention to
shifted from cash to debit card since 2017; notably at change – compared with 2017 – extends across all age
highly frequented payment locations such as supermarkets and income groups, although respondents aged 55 and
and specialist food stores. The same trend – albeit less over as well as those in the lowest income group continue
pronounced – is evident for payments in restaurants and to assume with above-average frequency that cash usage
takeaways. This underscores the findings in chapter 3.2, will remain unchanged. What is remarkable, however, it
according to which the population now rates the debit card that there is a particularly widespread intention to change
as easier to use than cash. in Italian-speaking Switzerland.
4.3.3 Self-assessment of changes in In addition, the primary reason given by those who expect
payment behaviour to rely increasingly on cashless payments in the future
It can be concluded from the above that a significant is that these payments will become even more widely
proportion of the population has considerably adjusted its accepted and more convenient. Meanwhile, it was stated
preferences and habits regarding the choice of payment far less frequently than in 2017 that the anticipated
method as well as its assessment of the individual payment decline in cash usage is mainly a consequence of keeping
methods since 2017. The respondents’ self-assessment of up with a social trend.
their past and expected payment behaviour also confirms
the increased willingness to change. At the same time, habit remains the most commonly cited
reason among a smaller proportion of the population who
Looking back, 60% of respondents in this survey state expect to continue paying cash with the same frequency
that they currently pay less often in cash than three years over the coming years. But here, too, the prevalence of
previously, while in the multi-year outlook in 2017, habits has decreased considerably. Three years ago, three
46% expected their cash payment frequency to decline. out of four respondents maintained that payment method
What is relevant here is that, according to half of these use was acceptable as it was, whereas in 2020, only
respondents, the decrease in their cash usage was not as every second respondent cited this as an explanation.
Chart 4.14
��

Supermarket (799)
Non-food shop (795)
Restaurant (781)
Bar/Cafe (772)
Specialist food store (753)
P2P payment (746)
Public transport (697)
Hotel (697)
Petrol station (680)
Take-away (669)
Parking meter (663)
Online purchase (658)
Vending machine (476)
Taxi (417)
0 20 40 60 80 100
Convenience Security Speed Acceptance Cost Don't know/No answer

Question: Why do you most frequently use this particular payment method at the respective point of sale?
Basis: Respondents who pay at the respective payment location (cf. figures in brackets above; total number of respondents: 807 people)
Source(s): SNB

4.3.4 Conclusion A significant proportion of the population has become
Overall, the shifts in the shares of payment type, the increasingly aware of the options available to it as a result
changes in the assessment of the various payment of ongoing innovation in the area of non-cash payment
methods, and the respondents’ self-assessment of their methods, and increasingly appreciates them; it is adapting
own usage behaviour suggest that the relative utility its earlier payment behaviour accordingly. However, the
calculus between cash and non-cash payment methods has motivation and needs of those with a clear cash preference,
shifted substantially in favour of the latter since 2017. now a minority of the population, suggest that, for them,
the need for change is low and their payment behaviour is
One plausible explanation for this is that technological thus likely to remain more constant.
advances have further improved the ease of use of
non-cash payment methods, such as the now widespread
contactless function for debit and credit cards or
access to mobile payment apps via facial recognition
(cf. chapters 3 and 5).
Chart 4.15
��

Total
Gender
Male
Female
Age
15 to 34 years
35 to 54 years
55 years and older
Language region
Income 1
Less than 4,000
4,000 to 5,999
6,000 to 7,999
8,000 to 9,999
10,000 or more
0 20 40 60 80 100
More frequent use of cash Same use of cash Less frequent use of cash Don't know/No answer
Question: Compared with today, do you think that in two years' time you will be paying with cash more often or less often than you do at present, or the same?
Basis: All respondents (2,126 people) or respondents by socio-demographic group (cf. appendix 2)
Source(s): SNB

5
Use of innovation-driven payment methods
As shown in chapters 3 and 4, innovation-driven payment

methods are proving to be important drivers of usage
Key points dynamics in cashless payment transactions. In the case of
non-recurring payments, this can be seen on the one hand
– Contactless payments are widespread in in the significantly increased prominence of contactless
Switzerland. A total of 92% of all respondents card payments (cf. chapter 5.1), and on the other in the fact
hold a card with the contactless payment that paying by smartphone has now also become well-
function, with 60% of debit and credit established in Switzerland. Mobile payment apps1 thus
cardholders stating that they always or usually show the strongest growth momentum of all payment
pay touch-free. methods (cf. chapter 5.2). Innovations in the area of
– The majority of respondents welcome the payment methods are not solely limited to non-recurring
increase in the limit for contactless payments payments, however. In the case of recurring payments,2
not requiring a PIN from CHF 40 to CHF 80. eBill has the option of digital and automated invoice
– Mobile payment apps are registering robust approval as an alternative to direct debit (cf. chapter 5.3).3
growth. Having played only a marginal role
in 2017, mobile payment apps have recorded 5.1 Contactless card payments
a sharp rise in popularity as well as in ownership
and use in the last three years. In 2020, 48% of The technology for making contactless card payments
all respondents owned a mobile payment app. (via near field communication, or NFC) has existed in
In terms of usage, mobile payment apps have Switzerland since 2014.4 Contactless payments have since
a volume share of 5% and a value share of 4%. become widespread in Switzerland. A total of 92% of
– Depending on the area of application, mobile all respondents report holding a payment card (debit or
payment apps offer an alternative to cash but credit card) with the contactless payment function. While
also to conventional non-cash payment in 2017, just 15% of debit and credit cardholders stated
methods. With regard to the most significant that they always or usually pay touch-free, this share had
area of application – P2P payments – mobile risen in 2020 to 60% (cf. chart 5.1).
payment apps are used as an alternative
to cash. Payment shares with contactless function
– Direct debits and eBill are mainly used for The contactless function plays the most important role
recurring payments. eBill and its functions have for non-recurring payments at physical POS, such as at
been relatively unknown up to now. retail outlets or at vending machines and parking meters.
– Innovation-driven payment methods are used Overall, 30% of non-recurring payments are touch-free.
to an above-average extent by men, by people By contrast, just 16% of payments are made in the
younger than 55 years and by those in the conventional way by inserting the debit, credit or prepaid
highest income bracket. card into a terminal. While contactless payments clearly
outstrip conventional payment methods in terms of
volume share, the types of payment are more evenly
balanced in terms of value share. Accordingly, a relatively
high share (27%) of non-recurring payment amounts are
processed by card without using the contactless function.
1 In addition to mobile payment apps (such as Twint), retailer apps tailored

to specific merchants (such as SBB Mobile) and mobile banking apps also
enable payment via smartphone (cf. glossary). However, these are not covered
in the scope of this chapter.
2 Recurring expenses primarily include rent or mortgage interest, taxes and
health insurance premiums.
3 The payment methods survey asked in-depth questions about innovation-
driven payment methods (especially mobile payment apps and eBill) for the
first time in 2020. As a result, few comparisons can be drawn with 2017 – i.e.
with the results of the last payment methods survey – in chapter 5.
4 For the purposes of this survey, all payments made using NFC are defined
as ‘contactless’, even in cases where the PIN code is required.

Chart 5.1 This is compared with 24% of payment amounts settled
using the touch-free function.
��
Contactless payment limit without PIN
Until April 2020, only amounts up to CHF 40 could be
paid in Switzerland using the contactless function and
2017 without entering a PIN. Owing to health-related concerns,
the limit for using the contactless function without
needing to enter a PIN was increased in April 2020 to
CHF 80. As before, amounts exceeding this limit can also
2020
be paid using the same function, but continue to require
the entry of a PIN code. Entering a PIN for amounts over
0 20 40 60 80 100
CHF 80 seems to be the biggest hurdle in using the
contactless function. While almost all users of this
Always function pay for amounts under CHF 80, only 35% report
Usually
paying touch-free for amounts in excess of CHF 80
Sometimes
Rarely (cf. chart 5.2). It seems, however, that the PIN limit has
Never (although I could) diminished in importance as a barrier to use: in 2017,
I don't have a card with this feature just 21% of respondents who paid with the contactless
Don't know/No answer function reported using it for amounts above the CHF 40
Question: When you pay with your card, how often do you use the contactless limit that applied at the time.
payment function?
Basis: Respondents with a debit or credit card (2020: 2,062 people; 2017: 1,843
people) For amounts under CHF 80, usage behaviour adapted
Source(s): SNB quickly to the new PIN-free limit. In other words, for
payments below this level, the payment amount has
Chart 5.2 virtually no bearing on the use of the contactless function.
The proportion of respondents using the function for
�� amounts between the previous and the new limit (CHF 41
Shares of basis in percent (multiple answers possible); from personal
interview to CHF 80) is roughly the same as the proportion of
those who report paying touch-free for amount ranges
below the previous limit of CHF 40.
Up to CHF 10
CHF 11–20 This is consistent with the fact that the majority of
respondents who use the contactless function consider
CHF 21–40
the current limit of CHF 80 (40%) to be appropriate
CHF 41–80 (cf. chart 5.3). While about a quarter of these respondents
could envisage a further increase in the limit to over
CHF 80 or more
CHF 80, 31% would choose a limit below CHF 80. Of
Don't know/No answer these, only 11% would like to see a return to the previous
limit of exactly CHF 40.
0 20 40 60 80
Question: For what payment amounts do you use the contactless payment function? Reasons for and against using contactless function
Basis: Respondents using the contactless function (1,580 people)
As in 2017, the main reasons for using the contactless
Source(s): SNB
function are the speed (60%) and convenience (39%) of
the payment process. In view of the coronavirus pandemic,
it is not surprising that hygiene concerns (28%) were also
cited as a factor. The most frequently given reasons for not
using the contactless function were lack of confidence
in the new technology (30%), lack of engagement with the
new technology (21%) and concerns about fraud (20%).

5.2 Mobile payment apps Chart 5.3
Mobile payment apps, such as Twint, enable payments to ��
��
be made using smartphones. These apps can be used Shares of relevant basis in percent; from personal interview
not only to buy goods and services at physical points of
sale or remotely via online purchases, but also to settle
Up to CHF 39
P2P payments. A transaction with a mobile payment app is
generally made by bank transfer (if linked to an account), CHF 40
credit card payment (if linked to a credit card), or e-money CHF 41–79
(if a prepaid app is used or if linked to a prepaid card).
CHF 80
Prevalence and use of mobile payment apps More than CHF 80

Having played only a marginal role in 2017, mobile Don't know/No answer
payment apps seen a sharp rise in popularity as well as in
ownership and use in the last three years (cf. chapters 3.2 0 10 20 30 40
and 4.1). According to the survey interviews, just under Question: What do you consider to be the optimal limit or up to which amount
half of all respondents (48%) own a mobile payment app, would you like to be able to pay contactless, i.e. without entering your PIN?
and, in an open-ended question, 69% cited these apps as Basis: Respondents using the contactless function (1,580 people)
a possible alternative method of payment to cash. In Source(s): SNB
connection with non-recurring payments, mobile payment

apps have a volume share of 5% and a value share of 4%.
Chart 5.4
The mobile payment app of choice in this regard is Twint.
With a share of 77% of all installed mobile payment apps, ��
��
this Swiss app is by far the most prevalent solution. Other Shares of basis in percent; from responses on payment instrument
apps such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay have ownership
considerably lower shares. Furthermore, the majority of
mobile payment apps are linked to a bank account (65%),
while 25% of apps are paired with a credit card and 9% of
apps make prepaid (e-money) payments (cf. chart 5.4).5
Areas of application of mobile payment apps

The survey interviews reveal that 85% of respondents
who own a mobile payment app use it for P2P payments,
48% for online purchases, 44% for payments at retail
outlets and 38% for payments at vending machines and
parking meters (cf. chart 5.5). Bank account, 65%
Credit card, 25%
Depending on the area of application, mobile payment e-money, 9%
Don't know/No answer, 1%
apps offer an alternative not only to cash, but also to
conventional non-cash payment methods, such as payment Basis: All mobile payment apps owned and recorded by respondents (1,029 people
with 1,251 mobile payment apps)
cards or online banking (cf. chart 5.6). Of those Source(s): SNB
respondents who now make P2P payments with mobile
payment apps, the large majority (80%) state that they
previously made such payments with cash. In the case of
online purchases, mobile payment apps are primarily
replacing credit and prepaid cards as well as transfers (e.g.
via online banking or at post office counters): 67% report
having made online purchases with a credit or prepaid
card and 21% via transfer. Of those respondents who pay at
retail outlets with mobile payment apps, 48% previously
paid with debit card and 40% with cash. At vending
machines and parking meters, cash used to be the principal
payment method (80%).
5 The relatively high share (65%) of mobile payment apps linked to an account
is consistent with Twint’s high share (77%) of all mobile payment apps installed
by respondents. Unlike other apps, Twint connectivity with an account is possible
and widely used.

Chart 5.5 Reasons for and against using mobile payment apps
Convenience and speed of the payment process were
�� cited by a majority of respondents (57%) who own mobile
Shares of basis in percent (multiple answers possible); from personal
interview payment apps as the main reasons for using them.
Another point highlighted is that smartphones and thus
payment apps are conveniently always close to hand
P2P payments (14%). Moreover, the areas of application discussed in
the previous section were also cited. Overall, 22% of
Online purchases respondents report using a mobile payment app because
accounts are settled this way in their immediate circle –
Retail outlets e.g. after dining out together. Meanwhile, 11% use these
apps in situations where the appropriate amount of cash
Vending machines
and parking meters
had previously been required (e.g. for vending machines,
parking meters and P2P payments). Lastly, the immediate
0 20 40 60 80 100 transfer of money from the payer to the payee (13%)
Question: Do you use mobile payment apps at the following locations and/or for the
is also cited as a reason for use.
following areas of application?
Basis: Respondents using mobile payment apps (1,012 people)
Security concerns, on the other hand, are the main
Source(s): SNB
reason for not owning and using mobile payment apps.
Of the respondents who do not have a mobile payment
app installed, 21% are concerned about financial loss,
while 20% expressed reservations with regard to data
protection. In addition, 21% say they do not use a mobile
payment app because it offers no added value in
comparison with conventional payment methods. A further
16% of respondents consider such apps to be inconvenient
and impractical. Finally, 14% state that they do not
know how to install a payment app on their smartphone,
while 13% do not own a smartphone.
Chart 5.6
��

P2P payments (859)
Retail outlets (447)
Vending machines and

parking meters (387)
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cash Debit card Credit/Prepaid card Bank transfer Online payment methods Don't know/No answer
Question: Which payment method did you previously use in the areas of application where you are now using a mobile payment app?
Basis: Respondents using mobile payment apps for respective area of application (cf. figures in brackets above)
Source(s): SNB

5.3 Invoice approval with eBill Chart 5.7
Similar to direct debit, eBill is a payment procedure used ��
Shares of basis in percent; from personal interview
to settle and approve invoices. In the case of direct
debit, the invoicing party directly charges the account for
which they have a debit authorisation, while with eBill,
invoices can be received directly through online banking.
Individual invoices can then be approved or rejected. It is
also possible to set up a standing approval function with
eBill for the automatic approval of invoices. This function
in eBill corresponds to a digital version of the consent
given via direct debit for the periodic collection of amounts
due, and can therefore be considered by end users as an
alternative to direct debit.
eBill only, 16%
Direct debit only, 25%
Prevalence and use of eBill eBill and direct debit, 18%
Based on their functions, direct debit and eBill are mainly Neither eBill nor direct debit, 40%
used for recurring expenses. Their value shares for Don't know/No answer, 1%
recurring costs are 17% for direct debit and 6% for eBill. Question: Do you use direct debit? / Do you use eBill?
The bulk of recurring payments (62%) are settled via Basis: All respondents (2,126 people)
online banking transfers. Source(s): SNB
According to the interview, 60% of respondents use

at least one of these two methods, although usage of both
is currently equally balanced (cf. chart 5.7). At present,
18% utilise both direct debit and eBill, while 25% rely
exclusively on direct debit and 16% opt solely for eBill.
Reasons for and against using eBill

Asked about the reasons for using eBill, the large majority
of respondents (76%) cite the ease and speed of handling.
Among the respondents who use eBill but not direct debit,
47% gave greater control over the debited amounts as
the principal reason.
The main factor for the comparatively low use of eBill

and its functions is lack of familiarity with the payment
method. Roughly 64% of all non-users and 49% of
those who rely exclusively on direct debit report being
unfamiliar with the method of payment. In addition,
the latter state that they only use direct debit because the
amount is charged without the need for approval (27%).
This feature is also available in eBill by means of the
standing approval function. Moreover, the proportion of
eBill users to have set up the standing approval function
(13%) is also relatively small, which suggests that
a significant proportion of respondents are not familiar
with the standing approval feature in eBill. In contrast to
the reasons described in the chapters on contactless card
payments (cf. chapter 5.1) and mobile payment apps
(cf. chapter 5.2), a lack of confidence in the technology
or barriers to switching from the older to the newer
technology play a minor role in the non-use of eBill.

5.4 Outlook and socio-demographic aspects Looking at all innovation-driven payment methods, it is
evident that they tend to be used more by men, by the two
For non-recurring payments, innovation-driven payment younger age groups and by people in the highest income
methods such as contactless card payments or mobile bracket. With regard to the different language regions,
payment apps are now widely used in Switzerland. While a lower prevalence of innovation-driven payment methods
contactless payments now represent one of the most is discernible in Italian-speaking Switzerland. On the
important payment methods, mobile payment apps do not whole, the findings therefore point to a pronounced
yet occupy a dominant position in payment transactions. socio-demographic heterogeneity in terms of the use of
For recurring payments, card payments and mobile innovation-driven payment methods among the
payment apps do not feature prominently. By contrast, population.
direct debit and eBill – besides online banking – have
a certain significance for recurring expenses, but are
hardly used for non-recurring payments. Although both
payment methods have a similar area of application,
they are currently being used in parallel.
The sharp rise in the use of the contactless function and,

in particular, mobile payment apps for non-recurring
payments since 2017 is remarkable. This momentum is
likely to continue in the future, with contactless payments
and mobile payment apps gaining in prominence. On the
one hand, 34% of all respondents state that, going forward,
they would like to pay less often with cash and more often
with card; a further 21% intend to use mobile payment
apps instead of cash more frequently. On the other hand,
a similar pattern emerges for the contactless function
and mobile payment apps with respect to the socio-
demographic characteristics of payment method users –
the high level of ownership among the younger population
suggests that the prominence of these payment methods
will continue to rise in the years ahead (cf. chart 5.8).
Chart 5.8
�� -�� -��

Share of respective basis in percent; from personal interview
100
80
60
40
20
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l
ge
rs
rs
er
nd
nd
nd
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al
al
or
00
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99
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io
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ov
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ye
ye
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en
4,
5,
7,
9,
er
er
er
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re
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or
34
54
an
an
to
to
to
itz
itz
itz
G
In
ge
Sw
Sw
Sw
0
th
0
to
to
rs
0
00
00
00
ua
,0
a
ss
15
35
g
ye
4,
6,
8,
10
ng
Le
in
in
in
55
ak
ak
ak
La
pe
pe
pe
-s
s
h-
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an
nc
lia
m
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e
er
Fr
G
Card with contactless function Mobile payment apps eBill

Question: Other than cash, numerous non-cash payment methods are also available. Which of the following non-cash payment instruments do you own?
Source(s): SNB

6
Use of cash as store of value
Chapter 4.1 shows that the prominence of cash as

a payment method is diminishing. At the same time,
Key points however, the number of Swiss franc banknotes in
circulation is on the rise.1 These developments suggest
– More than two-thirds of Switzerland’s that cash is increasingly being used for store-of-value
population use cash as a short or long-term purposes both at home and abroad.2 The storage of cash
store of value. by private individuals in Switzerland is also likely to
– More than half of the respondents who store contribute to this, at least to a certain extent.
cash reserves state that they hold less than
CHF 1,000 for this purpose. Against this background, this chapter addresses the role
– The main reasons cited for using cash as a store played by cash as a store of value for households and
of value are the immediate availability of cash which denominations are primarily used for this purpose.
when required and, to a lesser extent, provision It also considers the reasons for keeping cash as a store
for crisis situations. of value.
– For the purposes of storing cash, the notes
primarily used by households are the 100-franc When interpreting the data on the use of cash as a store
note, followed by the 50-franc and 200-franc of value, two aspects need to be taken into account.
notes. The 1000-franc notes, by contrast, are First, the questions on this topic have been amended
rarely used as a store of value. significantly compared with the 2017 payment methods
survey.3 A new distinction has been made between the
1 Source: SNB data portal, data.snb.ch, Table selection, Swiss National Bank,
Key figures for the SNB, Banknotes and coins in circulation.
2 Foreign holdings of Swiss francs (transactions or store of value) are not
covered by the survey. Estimates of Swiss franc banknotes in circulation
not used for transactions can be found in Katrin Assenmacher, Franz Seitz and
Jörn Tenhofen (2019), The demand for Swiss banknotes: some new evidence,
Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, 155(14), pp. 1–22.
3 For this reason, this chapter does not consider the 2017 results in
comparison.
Chart 6.1
��

Shares of basis in percent; from personal interview
Cash stored, 70%

No cash stored, 27%
Prefers not to disclose, 2%
Question: Do you, or does your household, hold cash reserves for everyday
expenses, targeted saving or as a long-term store of value?
Source(s): SNB

Chart 6.2 use of cash as a short-term store of value (cash reserves
for everyday expenses, for unforeseen expenses and for
�� : �� targeted saving for a specific expense) and its use as
Share of basis in percent; from personal interview
a long-term store of value. Furthermore, the information
provided could refer either to personal cash reserves
or to the cash reserves of an entire household. While these
adjustments help to improve the quality of data on the
use of cash as a store of value, they come at the expense
of the comparability of data over time.
Second, given that this is a sensitive topic for reasons of

security and confidentiality, it is to be expected that
the responses will not be completely reliable. Likewise,
the answers to these questions are unlikely to be fully
Less than CHF 1,000, 77%
CHF 1,001–5,000, 16%
representative, due in particular to the typically limited
CHF 5,001–10,000, 3% coverage of very affluent households in surveys.4
CHF 10,001 or more, 3% The results should therefore be considered with a certain
Don't know/No answer, 1% degree of caution.
Prefers not to specify, 0%
Question: How much cash do you hold as a reserve for everyday expenses, 6.1 Store-of-value behaviour
unforeseen expenses, targeted saving or as a store of value?
Basis: Respondents who provided details of personal cash reserves (617 people)
Source(s): SNB
In addition to holding cash in wallets, roughly 70% of
respondents also report storing cash at home or in a safety
deposit box (cf. chart 6.1). These cash reserves can
serve as both short and long-term stores of value. While
an average of 85% of the value stored by households is
intended for short-term use – in other words, cash is used
for everyday expenses, unforeseen expenses and targeted
Chart 6.3 saving purposes – 15% of cash reserves on average
constitute a long-term store of value.
�� : ��
The following evaluations are based on information
provided by those respondents who use cash as a short or
long-term store of value. In over three-quarters of the
cases in this group, cash reserves held by individuals
amount to less than CHF 1,000, while 16% report holding
between CHF 1,001 and CHF 5,000. Only 3% have cash
reserves in excess of CHF 10,000 (cf. chart 6.2).
As expected, the cash reserves reported for the entire

household are higher. The share of households with cash
reserves up to CHF 1,000 is 63%, while 24% have amounts
Less than CHF 1,000, 63%
CHF 1,001–5,000, 24%
between CHF 1,001 and CHF 5,000. A further 6% have
CHF 5,001–10,000, 4% cash reserves in excess of CHF 10,000 (cf. chart 6.3).
CHF 10,001 or more, 6%
Don't know/No answer, 3% With regard to socio-demographic characteristics, it is
Prefers not to specify, 0% noteworthy that fewer individuals and households in
Question: How much cash does your household hold as a reserve for everyday French-speaking Switzerland report storing cash than in
expenses, unforeseen expenses, targeted saving or as a store of value?
Basis: Respondents who provide details of cash reserves for the entire household
the other two language regions. However, there are
(837 people) no significant differences with regard to age and income.
Source(s): SNB A smaller proportion of cashless consumers hold cash
as a store of value compared with the two other payment
types (cash and situational consumers). This could be
due to the fact that cashless consumers see no reason for
this, since they lack the payment purpose.
4 Cf. OECD (2013), OECD Guidelines for Micro Statistics on Household Wealth.

Regarding the amount of cash held over time, 57% of Chart 6.4
respondents who keep cash reserves state that they hold
about the same amount as they did three years earlier, ��-�� : ��
while 21% say they hold more. The main reason given for
the increased holdings is that respondents have more
money available to them in the form of income or assets
compared with the previous reference date. A similarly
sized group (20%) report keeping lower levels of cash and
justify this, among other things, by saying that cash
reserves are less important as a result of the growing
prominence of non-cash payment methods or that the
stored cash was spent and not replaced.
Denominations
10-franc notes, 2%
Among the respondents who hold cash as a short-term 20-franc notes, 13%
store of value, 40% opt primarily for the 100-franc note. 50-franc notes, 14%
This is followed by the 50-franc and 20-franc notes, 100-franc notes, 40%
which are cited by 14% and 13% respectively as the main 200-franc notes, 7%
denominations held (cf. chart 6.4). For cash held as 1000-franc notes, 4%
a long-term store of value, the 100-franc note is again the Coins, 12%
most frequently cited denomination of choice (17% of
the corresponding group of respondents). This is followed Question: In which denomination(s), i.e. which banknotes, do you mainly hold this
cash for unforeseen expenses/targeted saving?
by the 200-franc and 50-franc notes, each of which are Basis: Respondents who hold cash reserves themselves or in their household for
held by 6% of respondents primarily for this purpose. It is unforeseen expenses, targeted saving and as a long-term store of value (852 people)
worth noting, however, that the share of respondents Source(s): SNB
who did not provide any information on this (58%) is

considerably higher than in the case of short-term stores
of value (cf. chart 6.5). One possible reason for this
is that these respondents were genuinely unaware of the Chart 6.5
denominations in which their cash reserves are held as
long-term stores of value (at home or in a safety deposit ��-�� : ��
box), or that they did not wish to provide any information
on this for reasons of confidentiality.
The share of the 1000-franc note in the cash reserve for

short and long-term stores of value is comparatively low.
Owing to its high face value, however, the 1000-franc
note is likely to account for an ample proportion – in value
terms – of the total amount of cash used as a store of value.
10-franc notes, 1%
20-franc notes, 3%
50-franc notes, 6%
100-franc notes, 17%
200-franc notes, 6%
1000-franc notes, 4%
Coins, 5%
Question: In which denomination(s), i.e. which banknotes, do you mainly hold this
cash as a long-term store of value?
Basis: Respondents who hold cash reserves themselves or in their household for
unforeseen expenses, targeted saving and as a long-term store of value (852 people)
Source(s): SNB

6.2 Store-of-value reasons 6.3 Conclusion
Around three-quarters of respondents who hold cash Based on the information provided by respondents on cash
reserves as a short or long-term store of value5 cite the reserves, it is possible to estimate the total cash holdings
immediate availability of cash when they require it as the by households in Switzerland not intended for immediate
main reason (cf. chart 6.6.). This is supported by the fact payment purposes. It is worth noting here that this
that the majority of cash amounts held in reserve are estimate of cash holdings will tend to be too low, in view
below CHF 1,000. The second most frequently cited reason of the issues mentioned earlier in the chapter. According
by respondents with a cash reserve, albeit with a much to the estimate, cash reserves held by individuals in
smaller share of 17%, is that they want to use it as a safety Switzerland amount to a total of around CHF 10 billion, or
net for crisis situations. This could be attributable to the roughly 12% of total banknotes in circulation.6 Overall, the
fact that the 2020 survey was conducted during the importance of the use of cash as a store of value is similar
coronavirus crisis. Conversely, owing to the persistently to that already seen in 2017. Likewise, an international
low interest rate environment, households continue to comparison shows that the amounts of cash held per person
see no pressing reason to keep cash at home or in a safety in Switzerland and in the euro area are at a similar level.7
deposit box. A plausible explanation for this is that the
vast majority of individuals have so far not been directly Furthermore, the survey results suggest that holding cash
affected by negative interest rates. as a short and long-term store of value plays a subordinate
role compared with other categories of financial assets
(e.g. account deposits, savings in pillar 3 pension schemes
or securities). Specifically, the share of financial assets
held in cash by households in Switzerland is typically in
the low single-digit percentage range.
6 At the time the survey was completed in November 2020, banknotes

in circulation amounted to approximately CHF 86 billion (cf. data.snb.ch,
Table selection, Swiss National Bank, Key figures for the SNB, Banknotes and
coins in circulation).
5 The question regarding reasons for holding cash as a store of value was 7 In the euro area, cash reserves held by the majority of respondents amount
asked in general terms and no distinction was made between short and long-term to less than EUR 1,000. Cf. European Central Bank (2020), Study on the payment
storage. attitudes of consumers in the euro area (SPACE), p. 52.
Chart 6.6
�� : ��

Share of basis in percent (multiple answers possible); from personal interview
Unforeseen expenses
Safety net for crisis situations
Targeted saving for specific purpose
Piggy bank/Coin collection
Reduce frequency of visits to ATM
Reserve for cash expenses
Reserve for technical problems
Lack of confidence in banks
Protect financial privacy
Other reasons
Don't know/No answer
0 20 40 60 80
Question: Which are the three most important reasons why you/your household hold/s cash reserves?
Basis: Respondents who hold cash reserves for unforeseen expenses, targeted saving or as a long-term store of value (1,155 people)
Source(s): SNB

Appendix 1
Survey methodology
The respondents in the survey on payment methods were of quality. These, together with an additional eight diaries
surveyed between mid-August and November 2020. The that were received after conclusion of the survey, were
sampling frame for person and household surveys used by removed from the dataset. Overall, a total of 308 responses
the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) served as the basis were eliminated, leaving a total of 2,126 correct responses
for the sampling procedure. The sampling frame uses data (interview and diary) for evaluation. All entries in the
on residents from cantonal and communal population payment diaries were also assessed for plausibility in
registers, which are updated every quarter. A stratified order to rectify any misstatements or oversights during
random sample was drawn from it for the 2020 payment the recording.
methods survey, based on the characteristics of language
region, gender and age. The adjusted dataset was weighted according to the
structural characteristics of the statistical population,
The vast majority of the personal interviews for the survey so as to be able to draw representative conclusions about
– comprising some 200 questions – were conducted in the Switzerland’s resident population aged 15 and over.
form of computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI).1 Post-stratification weights were calculated for the dataset.
The second part of the survey involved keeping a payment Specifically, all interviews and payment diaries were
diary, for which respondents had the choice of entering weighted according to language region, age and gender,
their data digitally (via browser access) or on paper. Two- in line with the actual proportions found in the population
thirds of the respondents opted for the digital diary, which as a whole. In the report, all data on number of persons,
could be accessed via internet-enabled devices, such as number of payments or total value of payments represent
a PC, laptop, smartphone or similar. For the paper version, weighted totals.
respondents received a payment diary plus a small
notebook for recording expenses on an ongoing basis
throughout the day. Methodological differences between
2017 and 2020 surveys
By way of compensation, the participants received In contrast to the 2020 survey on payment methods,
CHF 100 after completion of the survey. In addition to the 2017 survey was based entirely on face-to-face
a thank you letter, respondents were also sent a small interviews – or computer-assisted personal interviews
package of shredded Swiss banknotes withdrawn from (CAPI) – with respondents selected by random quota
circulation. Compensation of this size is appropriate sampling. The coronavirus pandemic necessitated
and in line with market norms for surveys that take up a switch to CATI. This procedure allowed the personal
a comparable amount of participants’ time. interview to be retained and methodological effects
to be minimised, and ensured that the two survey
A total of 2,434 people were interviewed during the field findings were as comparable as possible.
phase, of which 2,144 returned a fully completed payment
diary. The high response rate of 88% can be attributed At the same time, the change in survey methodology
to a number of different factors. First, respondents were meant that the previous method of random quota
reminded about the payment diary by telephone or email sampling could no longer be used. The FSO ’s sampling
and, second, compensation was only paid following frame which was used instead, however, formed
submission of a fully completed diary. the basis for a high-quality survey of individuals.
The adjustment of the sampling procedure resulted in
After concluding the survey, DemoSCOPE then cleansed comparatively more people with high incomes and
the data. This ensured that interviews not conducted tertiary education being surveyed compared with 2017.
according to specifications or with an excessively high
item non-response rate were removed from the dataset.
Furthermore, only those interviews that could be paired
with a completed diary were included in the dataset. Upon
examination of these diaries, DemoSCOPE identified
ten diaries that did not meet the required standards in terms
1 Only three interviews took place face-to-face in respondents’ homes

at their request.

Appendix 2
Distribution of sample by
socio-demographic characteristics
socio-demographic characteristics
Number Description
in sample
Total
All respondents 2,126 Size of adjusted sample with all respondents
Gender
Male 1,048 Male participants in payment methods survey
Female 1,078 Female participants in payment methods survey
Age
15 to 34 years 610 Respondents aged between 15 and 34 years
35 to 54 years 727 Respondents aged between 35 and 54 years
55 years and over 788 Respondents aged at least 55 years
Language region1
German-speaking Switzerland 1,506 Respondents resident in German-speaking Switzerland
French-speaking Switzerland 520 Respondents resident in French-speaking Switzerland
Italian-speaking Switzerland 100 Respondents resident in Italian-speaking Switzerland
Residential environment2
City/town (urban) 1,302 Respondents resident in the category ‘urban centre’
Conurbation (periurban) 464 Respondents resident in the category ‘area under influence of urban centres’
Country (rural) 359 Respondents resident in the category ‘areas not under influence of urban centres’
Level of education3
Tertiary 941 Respondents with final education qualification from a university of applied sciences (‘Fachhochschule’),
higher technical school (‘Höhere Technische Lehranstalt’), business school, college of education,
university or the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)
Upper secondary 982 Respondents with a final school-leaving certificate from a high school (‘Mittelschule’), vocational high
school (‘Berufsmittelschule’) or grammar school (‘Gymnasium’)
Compulsory 179 Respondents having completed primary school, lower secondary level, or no education
Income
Less than CHF 4,000 205 Respondents with monthly gross household income of less than CHF 4,000
CHF 4,000–5,999 318 Respondents with monthly gross household income of between CHF 4,000 and CHF 5,999
CHF 10,000 or more 721 Respondents with monthly gross household income of at least CHF 10,000
Employment status
Employed 1,357 Respondents in employment (full-time, part-time, self-employed)
Unemployed 54 Respondents (temporarily) without employment
In training/education 196 Respondents in training/education, including apprentices
Retired 461 Respondents in retirement
1 The linguistic classification of place of residence (municipality) is based on the most commonly spoken local language according to the FSO structural survey
(available in German and French only): www.bfs.admin.ch, Statistiken finden, Regionalstatistik, Atlanten, Statistischer Atlas der Schweiz, Atlaskapitel Schweiz,
Statatlas Schweiz 01 – Bevölkerung, Räumliche Gliederungen der Schweiz, Analyseregionen, Sprachgebiete, 2016 – Karte nach Gemeinden. For purposes of presentation,
Italian-speaking municipalities outside Canton Ticino are included in the category ‘Italian-speaking Switzerland’.
2 The breakdown by residential environment is based on the system applied by the FSO (available in German and French only):
www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/querschnittsthemen/raeumliche-analysen/raeumliche-gliederungen/raeumliche-typologien.html
3 Due to a lack of information on level of education, income and employment status, or due to rounding, the sum of the socio-demographic categories does not
necessarily correspond to the total.
Source(s): SNB

Appendix 3
Glossary
Contactless function Facilitates the transfer of payment information between a physical device (e.g. smartphone or payment card) and a terminal at
a point of sale (POS, cf. payment location) without the need for any physical contact between the device and the terminal.
Contactless payments are typically transferred using near field communication (NFC) or bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology,
or by scanning a quick response code (QR code).
Credit card Payment card that enables the holder to make payments or cash withdrawals on credit up to an agreed threshold. Interest is
generally not charged until expiry of the deadline specified in the invoice (usually one month). Thereafter, the cardholder has the
option to pay in instalments, upon which interest is levied.
Debit card Payment card tied to a bank or postal account that enables the cardholder to charge payments and cash withdrawals directly
to their account (e.g. Maestro and PostFinance card).
Direct debit Direct debit is a payment procedure used to settle and approve invoices. In the case of direct debit, the invoicing party
(payment recipient) directly charges the account for which the invoice recipient (payer) has issued a debit authorisation.
eBill With eBill, invoices can be received and settled directly through online banking. Individual invoices can then be approved or
rejected. It is also possible to set up a standing approval function with eBill for the automatic approval of invoices. This function
in eBill thus corresponds to a digital version of the consent given through direct debit for the periodic collection of amounts due
and can be considered as an alternative to direct debit (cf. direct debit).
e-money e-money describes any electronically stored monetary value in the form of a claim against the issuer, which is issued in
exchange for the payment of funds in order to carry out transactions. This includes prepaid credit and prepaid cards with
a wide range of uses.
Mobile payment apps Mobile payment apps represent a form of mobile payment. These apps can be used not only to buy goods and services
(at physical points of sale or remotely), but also to settle P2P payments. A transaction with a mobile payment app is generally
made by bank transfer (if linked to an account), credit card payment (if linked to a credit card), or e-money (if a prepaid app is
used or if linked to a prepaid card). Payment at a point of sale works by scanning a QR code, or via BLE or NFC (cf. contactless
function), and in the case of P2P payments, by entering a telephone number. In Switzerland, the most prevalent mobile
payment app is Twint (cf. chapter 5.2).
Online banking Online banking refers to the conduct of banking transactions via the internet, irrespective of location or opening hours. Banks
(e-banking and offer their customers the corresponding websites or portals (e-banking), as well as specific apps (mobile banking or m-banking),
m-banking) through which customers can conduct their banking business online.
Online payment Payment methods via the internet that are usually paired with a payment card and are used primarily to settle online purchases
method (e.g. PayPal or Sofortüberweisung). The term is used throughout this report to encompass all payments made via the internet
that are not executed through a specific online banking application (cf. online banking), a specific mobile payment app
(cf. mobile payment apps) or a retail app (cf. retail apps).
Other payment cards Retailer cards with a payment function (e.g. those of petrol stations or retailers) as well as prepaid cards that can only be used
with certain retailers (e.g. voucher cards) or in a restricted way (university, canteen, laundry cards, etc.).
Payment instrument These include cash, payment cards (debit, credit, prepaid and other payment cards), (online banking) transfers, direct debits
and e-money. In addition, mobile payment apps and online payment methods are also covered by this term for the purposes of
this report.
Payment location Refers to the POS where goods or services are purchased and paid for. For the purposes of this report, the term ‘payment
location’ covers specific POS (e.g. supermarkets, restaurants and online platforms) as well as counterparties (e.g. P2P) and
payment purposes (e.g. ‘eating and drinking out’).
Payment method Cf. payment instrument
Point of sale (POS) Cf. payment location
Retail apps Similar to mobile payment apps (cf. mobile payment apps), retail apps facilitate payments via smartphone. In contrast to mobile
payment apps, however, retail apps are specific to the retailer. They make possible the purchase of goods and services with
the relevant retailer. An example of a widely used retail app in Switzerland is SBB Mobile. A payment with a retail app may be
based on a credit card payment, e-money (usually prepaid card payment, cf. e-money) or a bank transfer. In addition, a retail
app may also be linked to a mobile payment app so that payments with the retail app are in turn indirectly based on the
underlying payment instrument of the mobile payment app.

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Survey on Payment Methods

3 Ownership and assessment of payment instruments 9

Survey on Payment Methods 2020 3

The survey results show that, in terms of the number

4 Survey on Payment Methods 2020

Survey on Payment Methods 2020 5

Mobile payment apps are registering robust growth.

By far the most widely used method for settling

In addition to its function as a method of payment,

The report is structured as follows: Chapter 2 addresses

6 Survey on Payment Methods 2020

– Track the changes in payment behaviour

– Gain a deeper understanding of the use of innovation-

– Collect data on the use of cash as a store of value

The survey consists of a telephone interview on payment

1 The terms ‘payment method’ and ‘payment instrument’ are used

Survey on Payment Methods 2020 7

key aspects of survey design

Method Computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) and paper or online diary

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Based on the responses provided in the interviews, this

As in 2017, median cash holdings in wallets vary quite

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Don't know/No answer

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4 This refers to the number of different categories of non-cash payment

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1000-franc note 200-franc note 2017

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7 Detailed definitions of the individual non-cash payment instruments and

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Purchases (goods and services)

1000-franc note (841) 200-franc note (1,699)

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This attribute is often primarily associated with cash, 7

The survey findings indicate that expenses 3

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Non-recurring payments are distinct from recurring

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2017 share Of which, contactless

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points to 77%. Considerably more respondents now also

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payments recorded by socio-demographic characteristic

Monthly household income

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Shops selling day-to-day items

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3 Ownership and assessment of payment instruments 9

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