Annual debit card spending in Germany 2000-2023, in local currency and USD
Debit card payments in Germany increased by near 40 billion euros in 2023, making it one of the main markets in Europe in terms of money spent. Given Germany's sizable population when compared to other countries in the EU, that may not sound surprising. The growing debit card expenses are noticeable, however, in a country where cash is relatively popular for in-store payments in 2021. Before the coronavirus pandemic, a three-year survey from the European Central Bank observed that Germany ranked among the most likely countries in Europe to use cash.
