Why Sweden is abandoning its cashless society
Summary
Sweden is reversing its push toward a cashless society in response to security and resilience concerns raised by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The central bank urged citizens to hold cash at home to bolster crisis preparedness, and essential shops were instructed to accept physical cash. The piece discusses the tension between digital payments and societal resilience, noting elderly and rural populations' worries and using Ukraine as a reference for rapid digital adoption under threat.