South Korea's Cashless Stores Leave Some Seniors Behind
Sunday, November 15, 2026166 words3 minutes42 reads
A 67-year-old customer in South Korea tried to buy coffee with cash, but the cafe accepted only cards and mobile payments. After that experience, he made sure to carry a card, The Korea Times reported.
Cashless services extend beyond coffee shops. By April 2026, 180 of Seoul's 394 bus routes did not accept cash. Some bank branches also stopped handling banknotes, coins and checks. These examples do not mean that cash has been banned throughout the country.
Older consumers still rely more heavily on cash. Data reported by the Bank of Korea showed that people aged seventy and older paid 32.4% of their monthly spending in cash, compared with 14.7% among people in their twenties. These figures describe spending shares, not the percentage of people who use cash.
The central bank has called for measures supporting cash acceptance and helping people use newer payment methods. The issue is access: a convenient system for card and phone users can create obstacles for people with limited digital skills.
