ATM’s in the Netherlands cap at 50€ (so any higher denomination must be requested at the bank), due to people using contactless payments frequently there’s less incentive for cash. Even then, why did the EU decide to print 100€ or 200€ notes (forget about a 500€ note as they’ve stopped printing more since 2019 but it is still legal tender). Stores refuse to accept a 200€ note for a 150€ purchase, why do these denominations exist?
Because other countries handle that differently than the Netherlands?
e.g. In Austria a not insignificant part of people exclusively do transactions in cash (think of that what you will). There even was a push to anchor cash payment is the constitution, so removing 100/200€ notes is not even on the table
Same in Germany. Lots of people avoid digital transactions and almost exclusively pay in cash. It’s always weird for me to see huge lines at the cashier while the self checkout is completely empty.
Your self checkout doesn’t take cash?
Idk about Germany, but in Danish self checkouts, there will a one or two registers accepting cash out of 12, if you’re lucky.
Business transactions. Think of small business that deal with cash, or paying contractors, etc.
There’s many reasons larger bills still exist, even just larger cash transactions like buying a second hand car gives a reason for larger bills to continue to exist.
Even if you don’t personally use them for day-to-day transactions, there is still a need for large denominations for large transactions. Appliances, cars, etc, anything you might be buying private party from Facebook marketplace/for sale ads that will cost a lot and carrying a high quantity of lower denominations would be impractical.
