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You’re overestimating their ability to change. I still regularly have to pay in cash in many businesses here in Berlin.

Wero is a great start but I suspect that PayPal will stay around for many more years.



At the same time you’re underestimating it. Before covid almost no small businesses would offer card payment; now it’s common.

Sure there are some that are against digital payments and they won’t accept Wero neither, but I would argue the number is very small. And sure in bars/clubs/nightlife it’s cash only but that also won’t change - it’s for tax reasons.

People don’t like PayPal and only use it for the lack of a better alternative. EC is widely used and I bet that Wero will be as well.

Source: lived last 15 years in Berlin


As a principal I boycott places that only accepts cash in Berlin. There is absolutely no reason for them to accept money only in cash in 2026, except for tax evasion and money laundering


> There is absolutely no reason for them to accept money only in cash in 2026,

When I was young, cash was beloved by some as a matter of principle because of the fact you didn't need any authority's permission to accept it; coupled with its anonymity.

If you were running the city's only LGBT bookshop, you didn't want your till full of signed, dated checks - and card processors wouldn't do business with you even if you wanted to accept cards.


I don’t mind if they accept cash, but my problem is that some places ONLY accepts cash. That’s purely to evade taxes


Or perhaps it's a matter of principle. They think that digital payments take society in a dangerous direction so do their part to push back against that and raise awareness.


Yeah right. For profit businesses being altruistic and moral. Delusional much?


I didn't realize that obtaining a business license caused one to immediately lose sight of his core values and morph into a comic book villain.


There are tens of thousands of those, yes. Pretending these don't exist, edgy nihilism much?


Privacy.

Stalkers.

Abusive ex’s.

And if you think it’s assholes targeted this way, look at all the women being stalked via flock by cops.

And if you think finances aren’t abused the same way, why do you think the Germans are so worked up about this? The fucking stasi.

A certain type of person will use literally anything they can find against you, including to harass you if they literally can’t find anything you did wrong.

And what better for them than a nice list of all the places and people you have some kind of important vendor or business relationship with - which is why there is money changing hands.

Grocery stores. Gas stations/subway fees, rental payments or mortgage payments. restaurants, gifts or family transfers, work, you name it.


I don’t know who traumatised you, but you need therapy, not cash payments


Cash payments are great therapy.

Also, ask an older German if you think I’m kidding.


What about a principled stance that a payment should remain anonymous, without being logged by a domestic bank, let alone a foreign company.

I used to go to a bar in Copenhagen with that principle.


Read my comment again. I said I boycott places that only accepts cash. They can absolutely accept both cards and cash and the only reason they do that is to not pay taxes. I would rather everyone pay taxes without any exceptions


I understood it.

The bar with the privacy principle didn't accept cards, and had a sign to that effect on the bar.


[flagged]


Comment that with your real account coward instead of using fake accounts. Who gives a shit about respect from spineless cowards like you


What about costs? For low margin businesses, especially small ones, the cost of card payments is significant.


Was true in 2016, but not in 2026.


Likely casual tax fraud




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