Cash is a "weak UI payment": Why does Generation Z avoid cash? At the forefront of the electronic payment era

Cash is a "weak UI payment": Why does Generation Z avoid cash? At the forefront of the electronic payment era

2025年11月03日 00:38

The survey results reported by Fortune on November 1 (U.S. time), stating that "more than half of Generation Z uses cash as a 'last resort' and many feel that paying with cash is 'cringe,'" may sound like a buzzword at first. However, upon closer examination, it reveals not just a simple "dislike of cash" but a perspective of Generation Z viewing "payment as a UI for self-management." According to the primary source from Cash App×Harris Poll, 53% consider cash a last resort, 29% view people who pay with cash as "outdated or cringe," and 54% say they tend to spend unconsciously when holding cash. These are not merely emotional detachment from cash but a strong preference for "payment experience design." fortune.com


1. The "rational" reasons Generation Z avoids cash

  • Friction and visibility of experience: Debit cards and mobile wallets allow balance, history, bill splitting, and point rewards to be completed on a single screen. Generation Z perceives "cash as a weak UI method." The survey also pointed out "cash is a last resort" and "spending unconsciously increases with cash." cash.app

  • Credit "ick" aversion: The "Credit Card Ick" survey by Afterpay×Morning Consult shows that 63% of Generation Z avoids credit cards, primarily using debit, cash, P2P, and mobile wallets. They prioritize immediacy and spending transparency to avoid fears of interest and late fees. afterpay-newsroom.yourcreative.com.au

  • Global shift in payment preferences: The 2025 report by RFI Global concludes that Generation Z is the most mobile wallet-oriented, with regional differences but a distinctive "mobile-first" behavior.  RFI Global

2. Why the "analog return" doesn't disappear

While saying "cash is a last resort," some in Generation Z are trending towards intentional analog management like **"cash stuffing" and "cash-only weekends."**

  • Visualization is powerful: For a generation accustomed to digital instant visualization, the physical pain of seeing cash diminish (pain of paying) works inversely as a self-control method, leading to continued "selective use" of cash. Investopedia

  • Financial trends via TikTok: A survey shows that 78% of Generation Z is influenced by TikTok in their spending. FinTok promotes behavioral changes like "loud budgeting." advanced-television.com　Axios

  • The rise of "cash-only weekends": The trend of carrying only weekend cash in an envelope aims to curb impulse buying as a "ritual of self-restraint."  New York Post

3. The atmosphere of SNS: Not division but "context" differences

 


Triggered by Fortune's post, platforms like X and Reddit have visualized the value gap between "cash is uncool" vs. "cash is the ultimate budgeting tool."

  • X (formerly Twitter): As the report spread, the majority favored **"cashless equals ease of management" and "reward and household app integration is justice", while voices supporting cash for reasons like "anonymity, privacy, and offline resilience"** remained strong. X (formerly Twitter)

  • Secondary media ripple: Parents.com, while citing the same survey, introduced the context of Cash App's 3.5% savings interest for teens announced on 10/30. The atmosphere favors "financial education × easy-to-use savings UI." Parents

  • Reddit realism: In some subreddits, opinions in a practical mode are observed, such as "cash is a 'last resort,' but it can't be completely eliminated in real life" (e.g., "using cash is a hassle, but necessary for cash-only stores, tips, emergencies").  Reddit

4. How to interpret the expression "cringe"

"Cringe" is a linguistic symbol imbued with the pressure of conformity (or rejection) among Generation Z. As Lake Superior State University included **"cringe" as an overused word in its "banished words list" in 2025, the label of "cringe" spreads lightly and strongly. The figure of 29% in the Cash App survey suggests the social semiotization of payment methods: in other words, "cash = a UI that doesn't read the room." New York Post


5. The "subtraction" and "design" of life defense

In the first half of 2025, PwC analyzed that Generation Z's spending decreased by 13% compared to the previous year. There was a progression in restraint in economically sensitive categories and the strengthening of value appeal with the mindset of "if buying, then something meaningful." Preference for payment methods is not just a matter of taste but a design of the household dashboard and a UI choice to reduce triggers. PwC


6. Implications for businesses, stores, and policies

  • Store experience: To attract younger generations, a UI that connects debit, wallet, P2P, BNPL in a "natural language" manner is necessary. Features like rewards, automatic receipt classification, and share splitting with **"one-click completion"** are preferred. RFI Global

  • The role of cash will not disappear: Risks and use cases like power outages, disasters, communication disruptions, and anonymity remain. The question is how to position cash as a backup line rather than completely eliminating it.

  • Financial education × UI: The movement to incorporate **"visible savings," "automatic savings," and "goal presentation" into the UI from the teen years can become a point of contact between policy and private behavioral design**.  cash.app

7. Summary: Generation Z hasn't "abandoned cash"

The data indicates that Generation Z values **"the experience as a household UI" over "the means of cash." Cash remains as a last resort** and lives on as an intentional analog technique. Paradoxically, the choice of payment method equals the design of how to live. cash.app


Main Sources (Excerpt)

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