Merry christmas to you and your families and a pleasant, restful holiday period and, above all, good health!

The German economy will make headway again in 2026: while progress will be subdued initially, it will then slowly pick up, said Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel, presenting the Bundesbank’s new Forecast for Germany. According to the forecast, economic growth is being driven mainly by government spending and a resurgence in exports. The experts are expecting GDP growth in 2027 and 2028 as well.

Card payments are now the predominant form of electronic payment in Germany, as highlighted in the Bundesbank’s latest Monthly Report. The main driving forces behind the increased usage of cards as a means of payment have been the introduction of contactless technologies as well as changes in consumer behaviour as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Monthly Report, the authors analyse current developments in the card market in Germany as well as other trends such as instant payments and mobile payments. 

Cash remains the most widely used means of payment in Germany and fulfils important societal functions, including ensuring all segments of the population can participate in the economy. It also offers resilience to crises, according to an article in the latest issue of the Monthly Report. In this article, Bundesbank experts examine what cash acceptance is like in Germany and what challenges are involved.