Access to cash

Overview

Video transcript

Is cash important to you?
 
Kia ora, I’m Robbie, Manager of Money and Cash Policy here at Te Pūtea Matua, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

For a number of years we’ve been asking Kiwis if they still want the option of using cash. The answer’s been a resounding, unambiguous Yes. And we’ve been asking businesses if it’s getting harder to handle cash – and yup, the answer is another resounding, unambiguous Yes.
 
So we have come up with a plan to make sure New Zealand keeps cash. We want to know what you think.

Our plan is to introduce a cash services standard that banks would have to meet. The standard would create a minimum number of locations across New Zealand to access cash services.

This means that wherever you are in New Zealand, you will be able to withdraw, deposit or swap cash close to where you live.
 
As part of our plan, we’ve got maps that show what our proposed standard could deliver in each district of New Zealand. 
 
Visit our website to check out the plan for yourself. It's designed to deliver what you need, but we need your help to get it right.

Find the plan at rbnz.govt.nz

Download the consultation materials

Keeping cash local: consultation paper (PDF, 1 MB)

Keeping cash local: district maps (PDF, 4 MB)

Keeping cash local: additional background material (PDF, 444 KB)

Keeping cash local: technical paper considering the benefits of cash (PDF, 670 KB)

Litmus research on cash use and access in 10 rural towns (PDF, 692 KB)

How to have your say

You can either:

              Future of Money and Payments
              Money and Cash
              Reserve Bank of New Zealand
              PO Box 2498
              Wellington 6140

               email: futureofmoney@rbnz.govt.nz

 

Closes 10 Apr 2026

Opened 25 Feb 2026