Geneva mandates cash payments in bars and restaurants first in Switzerland

Cash isn't dead yet in Switzerland. Geneva's bold new law forces bars and restaurants to keep banknotes in circulation—will other cantons follow?

, and Administrator

2026 May 9 . 2:05 AM

1 min read

The image shows an old black and white photo of a store with a sign that reads "Switzerland".... — The image shows an old black and white photo of a store with a sign that reads "Switzerland". Inside the store, there are tables with various objects on them, photo frames on the walls, and flags hanging from the ceiling. At the bottom of the image, there is some text.

Geneva mandates cash payments in bars and restaurants first in Switzerland

Geneva has become the first Swiss canton to require restaurants and bars to accept cash payments. The decision follows growing concerns over the decline of physical money in daily transactions. While digital payments rise, many Swiss residents still prefer using banknotes and coins for purchases. The new rule was introduced by SVP politician Virna Conti and gained support from Social Democrats and the Greens. It passed in the cantonal parliament, making Geneva the first to enforce cash acceptance in the hospitality sector. Similar proposals are now under discussion in Bern and Aargau, though they remain limited to bars and restaurants.

The move comes as cash usage declines across Switzerland, yet public resistance persists. In 2023, the Kunsthaus art museum and Zurich’s main Christmas market attempted to go cashless but reversed the decision after backlash. Meanwhile, Wiesner Gastronomie removed cash payments from its 30 restaurants at the end of last year. Despite these shifts, 95% of Swiss restaurants still accept cash. Gastrosuisse, the national hospitality association, opposes mandatory cash policies, arguing they limit business flexibility. Nationally, Richard Koller’s push for a broader cash initiative failed after he couldn’t gather enough signatures.

Geneva’s law marks a clear stance in favour of cash, though its impact remains limited to hospitality. The outcome in Bern and Aargau will show whether other cantons follow suit. For now, most Swiss restaurants continue accepting cash, even as digital payments grow more common.