{"id":602692,"date":"2026-09-30T13:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T17:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=short-read&p=602692"},"modified":"2026-09-30T13:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T17:56:09","slug":"from-cash-to-credit-how-americans-payment-methods-have-changed-in-the-past-decade","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2026\/09\/30\/from-cash-to-credit-how-americans-payment-methods-have-changed-in-the-past-decade\/","title":{"rendered":"From cash to credit, how Americans\u2019 payment methods have changed in the past decade"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo illustration by Pew Research Center. (Photos via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since 2015, the share of Americans who say they use cash for all or almost all of their purchases in a typical week has fallen by half, from 24% to 12%. And 42% now say they don\u2019t use cash for any<\/em> purchases in a typical week, up from 24% in 2015, according to a 2026 Pew Research Center survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As cash has declined in popularity, which payment methods have taken its place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta tracks the use of many payment methods in its annual Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice<\/a>. The survey asks U.S. adults to report on every transaction they made over a three-day period, including details about which payment method they used and how much they paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About this research<\/summary>\n

This analysis looks at how Americans\u2019 use of various payment methods has changed since 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pew Research Center does research to inform the public, journalists and decision-makers. This research builds on our past work studying economic issues<\/a> and the cashless economy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Most of the data for this analysis comes from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta\u2019s 2025 Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice<\/a>. Some additional data comes from a 2026 Pew Research Center survey<\/a>. Methodological information about these surveys can be found at the links in the text.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Terminology<\/summary>\n

In this analysis, \u201ccredit cards\u201d includes both credit and charge cards. Respondents were asked about credit and debit cards separately. \u201cOnline banking\u201d includes paying using a bank account number or through a bank\u2019s website or mobile app. EBT cards are electronic benefits transfer cards, used to distribute government food and cash assistance.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Use of credit cards is on the rise<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Since 2015, Americans have overwhelmingly used three payment methods for their purchases: cash, credit cards and debit cards. But as cash has become a less common option, credit cards have gotten more popular. Debit card payments have stayed relatively steady.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Americans use cash for a smaller share of payments now than in 2015<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
% of payments made with …<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Note: \u201cOther\u201d includes money orders, prepaid\/gift\/EBT cards, payments using a bank account number, online banking bill payments, payments made with money stored in a mobile payment app, account-to-account transfers, income deductions, multiple payment methods for a single payment, unreported payment methods and other responses that the Federal Reserve could not categorize.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Share this chart<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t