The following is from HERE
Top 5 Cashless Countries
Sweden: The number of bank robberies in Sweden plunged from 110 in 2008 to 16 in 2011 not because security has vastly improved, but because most
Swedish banks simply don't handle cash anymore.
Somaliland: Though one of Africa's poorest countries, a mobile revolution has created an informal electronic banking system with more efficiency and convenience than many far more developed countries in the world.
Kenya: The biggest African user of
mobile money is Kenya, where there are 15 million subscribers to M-Pesa. Though originally a method to send money home from cities to families in rural areas, M-Pesa is widely used for many things from receiving salaries, to paying bills and school fees, slowly making cash obsolete.
Canada: As of January 1, 2013, no more new Canadian currency is being printed. Why? Firstly, there has been a
decrease in demand for new bills. Secondly, the plastic bills have a longer life expectancy. The biggest reason: a push toward driving a cashless future. According to a poll by PayPal Canada, 56% of Canadians already would prefer to use a digital wallet than cash. Also, Canada is a world leader in plastic payment, where payment by credit, debit and bank cards is almost 70 per cent compared to a world average of 40 per cent.
South Korea: Starting out as a very cash dependent society, the Korean government has successfully put into place policies to encourage cashless behaviour which many other Asian countries can learn from. For example, South Korea introduced a preferential VAT treatment for consumers who pay with cards, moving the share of cash from 40 per cent to 25 per cent within four years from
2002 to 2006. South Korea was touted as the leading Asian nation in the Economist Intelligence Unit's E-Payments Adoption Ranking.
Some other top contenders include: Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, US, and Nigeria.
