The progressive displacement of cash by digital payment systems has accelerated rapidly in many countries, raising important questions about who benefits from this transition and who is left behind. Both the case for digital payments and the case for preserving cash in modern economies carry genuine weight. The arguments in favour of a shift toward digital payment are primarily ones of convenience, efficiency, and safety. Contactless and mobile payments are faster than cash at the point of sale, eliminating the need for change, counting, and the logistical management of physical currency. Digital transactions are automatically recorded, simplifying budgeting, expense tracking, and tax compliance for both consumers and businesses. The physical handling of cash carries hygiene concerns and creates security risks for businesses and individuals carrying significant amounts. For governments, digital transactions increase financial transparency and reduce the scale of informal cash economies that facilitate tax evasion. The case for preserving cash, however, rests on equally important grounds of inclusion and individual rights. Large segments of the population — including older adults, people without bank accounts, and those with limited digital literacy or access to smartphones — depend on cash as their primary means of financial participation. A fully cashless system would exclude these groups from economic life in ways that compound existing disadvantage. Privacy is also a legitimate concern: digital transactions leave comprehensive data trails that can be accessed by companies, financial institutions, and governments, representing a form of financial surveillance that cash transactions do not. In the event of technology failures, cybersecurity incidents, or natural disasters, cash provides a resilient fallback that digital systems cannot. In my view, society should not move to a fully cashless system but should invest in the digital infrastructure and financial inclusion measures that make digital payment a genuine option for everyone — while ensuring that cash remains legally accepted and practically available for those who need or prefer it.