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You seem to assume that the losses accumulate to the retailer. This is not always the case. I had three transactions declined, each with retailers that I had done busness with a number of times before, including one where I was present. I finally worked out that it was the card processor, VISA, that was declining the transactions, rather than the retailer or the card issuer, Nationwide. As a result, I stopped using the card and put it to the back of my wallet. I now use Mastercard for 95% of my transactions and never have a problem, including buying international airline tickets on-line and large ticket items on-line.

When Vista acquired Misys it proudly stated that it had never sold any company in it's portfolio in the 14 years since it had been founded. Since then, it has twice tried to sell Misys and failed. It then merged it with D+H and is now trying for a third time to unload it's investment. Third time lucky?

I have 12 loyalty cards in my wallet and at least another 24 retailers that I do business with that I do not have loyalty cards with. I also bank with more than one bank and have savings with more than one institution. I do not want 30 apps on my phone, with each app able to farm information from my activities.

So I have to have one digital wallet per retailer that I engage with? It is why I use PayPal, just so that I do not have to do this.

No mention of some of the world's largest economies - such as the US and Germany. They are unlikely to be cashless in 50 years, let alone the four years estimated for Sweden.

An excellent analysis. In addition, several economies larger than the UK remain strong users of cash - the US and Germany to name just a few. 

It is difficult to take this article seriously when an early statement is 'Crypto currency could soon make paper currency a thing of the past'. I have no doubt that crypto currency will be used by a small minority of people, particularly those engaged in unlawful activities, but not as a mainstream currency. Paper currency is under threat from electronic payments, but not crypto currency.

I find it ironic that this page is sponsored by Amazon Web Services, since it was their firewall that was breached.

I keep a copy of How to Lie with Statistics on my desk. It was compulsory reading on degree courses in England in the 1970s.

Other headings to remember:-

The sample with the built in bias

The well chosen average.

The semi-attached figure.

There are many more terrific examples of massaging the figures. This small book (124 pages, including pictures) should be compulsary reading for anyone reviewing information.

What about Building Societies in the UK (the US equivalent is a Savings and Loans organisation)? They are not for profit organisations that can be very large and compete with commecial banks. The Nationwide Building Society in the UK is as big as most commercial banks and has a large number of branches.