Plotting a Post-COVID Cash Course

We at BIG spend an unhealthy amount of time pondering the future trajectory of cash usage and its implications for credit unions- you’ll find some of our earlier analysis here.
Cash? Credit? Both? Neither? Huh?

In a recent blog post I addressed pandemic-driven changes in consumer payment behavior and the apparent confusion over both health factors and the economics of various payment instruments. Since then the plot has only thickened- with lawsuits filed, misinformation propagated, and no sign of clarity on the horizon. Allow me to update the situation through a variety of personal anecdotes and news items.
The Future (and Past) of Cash

Like virtually every aspect of life, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our relationship with cash- perhaps permanently in some aspects, but temporarily in others. This makes it an intriguing time for an industry conference titled The Future of Cash. I’m sure some snarky folks will quip that cash has no future.