The Reserve Bank of Australia is implementing a ban on card surcharges from 1 October, prohibiting businesses from charging customers extra for payments made with EFTPOS, Mastercard, Visa or American Express. Whilst businesses are expected to increase overall prices to recoup losses, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission permits them to offer discounts for cash or alternative payment methods like PayID, a development that has prompted many Australians to commit to returning to cash-based transactions.

Current RBA figures show cash already accounts for 15 per cent of all transactions, with half of Australians using cash at least weekly. Campaign groups like "Cash is King" anticipate the surcharge ban will accelerate this trend, with founder James Bennett predicting "a further increase come October" and suggesting more businesses will introduce cash discounts. Payment systems expert Professor Steve Worthington notes the reforms could encourage both businesses and consumers to reconsider their payment methods, particularly appealing to those managing cost-of-living pressures.