00:00How much longer will it take?
00:01until cash disappears from our everyday lives?
00:04We still pay quite a lot in cash in Germany.
00:07about half, placing them in the middle of the pack in Europe.
00:09In Sweden, on the other hand, cash is now the absolute exception.
00:14But what happens in a crisis, in the event of a cyberattack?
00:17a power outage?
00:19Andrit Backenbüll reports.
00:22This is what numbers look like in Sweden.
00:24The chewing gum at the kiosk.
00:26The Swedish cinnamon buns and even the public toilet.
00:33Almost all payments are now made digitally.
00:35Cash purchases are now limited to 10.
00:41It's more practical.
00:43Most shops only accept cards.
00:46Even department stores no longer accept cash.
00:50While this sounds practical, it has its downsides.
00:53Cash is not only disappearing from wallets,
00:57but also from the infrastructure.
01:00Bank branches are offering withdrawals less and less frequently.
01:03Vending machines like this one are disappearing.
01:06Björn Eriksson has therefore founded a cash initiative.
01:10He is calling for a change of thinking.
01:12You're excluding people who have difficulty with it.
01:17These can be people with physical disabilities,
01:20Women who live with violent men
01:22and whose account balance is monitored.
01:24People who simply can't cope with it.
01:27Many older people or those who live in the countryside,
01:29where there is no reception.
01:34But that's not all.
01:37Cyberattacks, power and internet outages.
01:40The Swedish central bank assesses the threat level
01:43for the financial sector.
01:45Attacks are already occurring regularly.
01:48The protection has been high enough so far.
01:50Nevertheless, in times of geopolitical tensions
01:53Cash is immensely important.
01:57We want to raise awareness of this.
02:00that it makes sense to have some cash at home.
02:03Because it also works as a means of payment even then,
02:06when data communication or power fails.
02:09What you need in terms of food and medicine
02:12needs for a week.
02:13For these items we recommend,
02:15to have enough cash at home.
02:20The Swedish Ministry of Defence
02:22supports the recommendation.
02:24Because cash is part of the national crisis preparedness.
02:28But by no means all Swedes
02:30follow this advice.
02:32I have nothing at home.
02:34Why?
02:36Idleness.
02:37Because it's difficult to withdraw cash when you have some,
02:40to get rid of.
02:43No, but you should probably have some.
02:45Maybe I should put some money aside.
02:48What happened in Spain, the power outage,
02:51This can happen anywhere.
02:52That's why I've put some money aside.
02:55No, nothing at all.
02:57Maybe a few bills somewhere in the piggy bank or under the bed.
03:00Nothing, everything is done by card.
03:03The government wants to find solutions,
03:06It already appointed a commission of inquiry last year.
03:10The recommendation is that banks should be legally obligated to
03:14to secure the cash infrastructure.
03:16That is exactly what the Swedish central bank has been demanding for years.
03:20Because the financial institutions themselves have no interest in a U-turn.
03:27According to our analysis, the declining use of cash has brought financial advantages to banks.
03:33Approximately three billion Swedish kronor.
03:36Therefore, there are certainly reasons to increase the pressure on the banks.
03:40For example, we proposed a mandatory cash policy.
03:43According to this, businesses selling essential goods would be obliged to accept cash.
03:48Cash is part of Sweden's crisis preparedness.
03:53It therefore remains politically relevant.
03:55Even though paying in Sweden will probably still look like this for the most part.
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