Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire communities are among those who have turned their back on cash the most in Scotland over the last two years.
Figures published by ATM operator Link show consumers across the UK are now withdrawing £100million less every day compared to figures from 2019.
Concerns about cash being used to help the spread of coronavirus led to many shoppers and businesses switching to card payments.
Some individual cash machines in city centres have reported an 80% drop in usage during the pandemic.
Research done by Link has now found Scottish consumers are going to the hole in the wall just twice a month now, compared with three times before the pandemic.
However, the average withdrawal has increased during that time from £65 to £74.
Which communities are turning away from cash?
The figures published by Link show that Edinburgh communities have turned away from cash the most – with the Edinburgh East UK Parliamentary constituency recording the largest drop with 63%.
Meanwhile, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire constituencies make up four of the top 10 locations in Scotland.
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine and Aberdeen South have the communities of users with 51%, while Gordon has had a 50% drop and Aberdeen North 48%.
Only five Edinburgh constituencies at Westminster and Glasgow Central are above the north-east communities.
Meanwhile, Glasgow North East has recorded the lowest decline in Scotland at just 29%.
Covid has ‘turbocharged’ switch from cash
Link has committed to retaining access to cash by providing free-to-use ATMs in communities left without any banks.
Residents in Cullen, Kinloss and Durness are currently benefitting from the scheme, which has led to 12 being installed in Scotland.
Nick Quin, Link’s head of financial inclusion, stressed many still relied on cash every day – despite the nationwide decline.
He said: “People are choosing new ways to pay for things, and Covid has turbocharged the switch to digital.
“When we conducted similar analysis this time last year, we had an incomplete picture because before the vaccine rollout people generally were staying local, working from home and many leisure locations were still temporarily closed.
“ATM use in some city centres had declined by as much as 80% overnight. Now that life is returning to normal, people are still visiting ATMs much less often and taking out more each time.
“Crucially, even though we’re withdrawing almost £100m less per day, millions still rely on cash, especially in the most deprived areas of the country. It is important we continue to protect access to cash across the country.”