In a debate article in Dagens Nyheter, the Governor of the Central Bank Erik Thedéen and Deputy Governor Aino Bunge write that time is of the essence.
Sweden is less prepared for crisis or war than, for example, Norway and Denmark, where market solutions exist or will soon exist for offline trade, they claim.
The Central Bank recommends that payment system actors act quickly and that solutions should be available in Sweden by the mid-2026 at the latest.
The general public is recommended to have cash in smaller denominations for a week's purchases and payment cards from at least two different issuers.
Consumers should also start using cash at regular intervals now, so that stores and banks see a demand that makes them continue to accept them.
Furthermore, the government and parliament should introduce a cash requirement for the sale of essential goods and legislate on measures that protect the cash chain, according to Thedéen and Bunge.
