Physical cash resists, cash transactions increase - BoA: 694 billion lek cash circulated at physical counters in just three months
Despite the development of digital banking services, physical bank counters continue to remain an important point for conducting transactions in Albania. Data for the third quarter of 2025 show that the use of cash at the till remains high, both by businesses and individuals.
Cash transactions experienced significant growth in the third quarter of 2025, driven mainly by business activity, while individuals continue to maintain a high volume of transactions, but with more moderate values.
According to the data, over 1.8 million cash transactions were carried out in the period July-September, with a total value of around 694 billion lek. Of these, businesses account for around 49% of the number of transactions, but hold over 65% of the total value, which shows that the largest circulation of physical money continues to be carried out by economic and commercial activities.
In particular, businesses conducted around 883 thousand transactions at the cash register, with a value of 453 billion lek, marking a quarterly increase of over 12% in value compared to the second quarter. The increase reflects increased turnover, especially in the summer months, influenced by the tourist season and consumption.
Within business transactions, cash deposits account for about 71% of the value, while withdrawals account for about 29%, signaling strong inflows into the banking system.
On the other hand, individuals have carried out over 933 thousand transactions, with a value of around 241 billion lek. In terms of values, the growth compared to the second quarter is more moderate, around 1%, which indicates stability in the use of physical money, but without significant expansion.
Even for individuals, deposits dominate, accounting for approximately 58% of the value, while withdrawals account for around 42%.
Overall, the third quarter data show that cash remains an important tool in the economy, with a greater weight in value among businesses and a high frequency of use among individuals. The figures confirm that, despite the gradual shift towards electronic payments, bank tellers remain a main channel for cash circulation, especially for cash deposits and withdrawals, for both businesses and citizens.
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