Key findings of the Cashlessy Index 2026

The Cashlessy Index ranks all 197 countries and territories by how easily a visitor can get by without cash. These are the headline results of the 2026 edition, last reviewed in October 2026. Everything here is free to use with credit.

1. Norway and Sweden share first place as the most cashless countries for travellers

   Both score 95 out of 100. The rest of the top five: Denmark (94), Iceland (94), Australia (92).

2. Only 26 of 197 places let a visitor leave cash at home

   26 countries and territories score 85 or more ("Go cashless"). At the other end, 64 are rated "Cash essential", where travellers should plan to pay for almost everything in cash.

3. Europe is the easiest region to travel without cash

   Europe averages 74 out of 100, against 22 for Africa.

   Region	Average	Leader	Places
   Europe	74	Norway Sweden	45
   Middle East	55	United Arab Emirates	17
   Americas	48	Canada	35
   Asia	45	Singapore South Korea	32
   Oceania	29	Australia	14
   Africa	22	South Africa	54

4. China ranks #16 with almost no help from cards

   Foreign cards still work in few Chinese shops, but visitors can now link a Visa or Mastercard to Alipay and WeChat Pay and pay like locals. The index counts apps visitors can actually use, which is why China scores 88.

5. Phones beat plastic in 64 places

   In 64 countries and territories a visitor can pay by phone almost everywhere, with Apple Pay or Google Pay or with a local app that works without a local bank account. Visitor apps make the difference in South Korea, China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Malaysia, Japan and Kenya.

6. Getting cash still costs money in many places

   Of the 80 places we have checked against bank fee pages and other sources, only 17 have fee-free ATMs that are easy to find. In 26, including Iceland, Australia, Netherlands and South Korea, every ATM charges a foreign card.

7. The most cash-reliant places

   North Korea (1), Yemen (2), Sudan (2), South Sudan (2), Eritrea (2). Most are under sanctions, in conflict, or have little card infrastructure for visitors.

Chart

Download the chart (PNG, 1200 px wide)

Data and assets

• The full 2026 index as CSV: rank, score, band, the four pillars and a link for every place.
• A share image for every country, at /og/<country>.png (1200 by 630).
• An embeddable badge for every country, at /badge/<country>.svg. Each country page has copy-paste embed code.
• How the index is scored, including sources and how countries are verified.

Using the index

The index and charts are free to use under CC BY 4.0. Please credit "The Cashlessy Index 2026, Cashlessy" and link to cashlessy.com or the relevant country page.

Contact

For interviews, data requests or corrections, email press@cashlessy.com.