Anxiety over war, wildfires and cyber-attacks leads to growth in cash stocks in EU

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · Aug 21, 2026 · 523 words · By Lisa O’Carroll

Cash vs. Digital Payments Financial Crisis Preparedness Digital Vulnerability

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What to know about Cash vs. Digital Payments

The number of banknotes in circulation in the EU is increasing despite widespread smartphone payments, new data shows, with wildfires ripping through parts of Europe fuelling demand for an emergency stash of cash.

Claims checked 9

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left20%

Center60%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

While cash plays second fiddle to contactless payments in many cities across Europe, the amount in circulation is actually going up, Philip Lane, the chief economist of the European Central Bank (ECB), said at the MacGill summer school conference in Ireland.

Common ground

The rise of cash has been linked to anxiety over wars and the impact of cyber-attacks on online and contactless payment systems, say experts.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Cash vs. Digital Payments story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that In 2025 EU residents were advised to stockpile enough food, water and essentials for 72 hours in case of an emergency?
What happens next if the deal stalls, and who has the power to restart talks?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/21/anxiety-over-war-wildfires-and-cyb…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4

info Single Source 3

help Insufficient Evidence 1

cancel Disputed 1

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Claim 1: “In 2025 EU residents were advised to stockpile enough food, water and essentials for 72 hours in case of an emergency”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including The Guardian and a European Commission-related report, confirm the advice for EU residents to stockpile 72 hours of essentials for emergencies.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025–26 Futbol Club Barcelona season was the club's 127th season in existence and their 95th consecutive season in the top flight. In addition to the domestic league, Barcelona participated in thi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–26_FC_Barcelona_season

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — RuTracker.org (also stylised as rutracker★org; known as torrents.ru until 2010) is the largest Russian BitTorrent tracker. It hosts films, television programmes, books, software, video games and other…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RuTracker.org

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) package, also known as the ViDA package or ViDA reform, is a three-pillar reform originating from the European Commission's Tax Package; adopted on 15 July 2020, to e…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAT_in_the_Digital_Age

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “ECB data, which has been tracking the number of bank notes in circulation since 2002, shows that their value has gone up from about €1tn in 2016 to €1.6tn in June 2026.”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web sources report the specific ECB data stating the value of banknotes rose from €1tn in 2016 to €1.6tn in June 2026.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Christine Madeleine Odette Lagarde (French: [kʁistin madlɛn ɔdɛt laɡaʁd]; née Lallouette, IPA: [lalwɛt]; born 1 January 1956) is a French politician and lawyer who has been the president of the Europe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Lagarde

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Czech Republic is bound to adopt the euro in the future and join the eurozone once it satisfies the euro convergence criteria by the Treaty of Accession after joining the European Union (EU) in 20…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Republic_and_the_euro

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central component of the Eurosystem and the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) as well as one of seven institutions of the European Union. It is one of the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Central_Bank

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 3: “European countries including Austria, Finland, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands have already recommended that citizens keep between €70 and €100 per household”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only one source (The Guardian) explicitly lists these specific countries (Austria, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands) and the specific recommendation of €70-€100 per household. Other results are irrelevant.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — European countries including Austria, Finland, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands have already recommended that citizens keep between €70 and €100 per household, enough to pay for essentials for 72 h…
https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/anxiety-over-war-wildfires-cy…

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web search NEUTRAL — Low- and moderate-income families often face the decision to pay utility bills or rent, buy their prescribed medicines, or buy enough food. These household financial stresses put them at an increased …
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jtex13_3-reading-for-example-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Complete100% New Project Landfill In The Fence by Incredible Earthmoving Skill Bulldozer & DumpTruck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPDiFCQyWlA

info

Claim 4: “Last year Marks & Spencer in the UK suffered a sustained cyber-attack which stopped the retailer taking online orders for weeks.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided web search results for this claim are completely irrelevant, returning real estate listings for a property in Connecticut rather than news about Marks & Spencer.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Sep 12, 2026 · 61 Center Dr, Old Greenwich, CT 06870 is a single family home for sale listed on the market for 3 Days. 61 Center Dr, Old Greenwich, CT 06870 is in the Eastern Greenwich neighborhood.
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/61-Center-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — (OneKey® MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid) For Sale: 5 beds, 3 baths ∙ 2353 sq. ft. ∙ 61 Center Dr, Old Greenwich, CT 06870 ∙ $1,549,000 ∙ MLS# 1040328 ∙ Welcome to 61 Center Drive, a move-in-ready Old …
https://www.redfin.com/CT/Old-Greenwich/61-Center-Dr-06870/h…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Sep 7, 2026 · 61 Center Dr, Old Greenwich, CT 06870 is a 2,353 sqft, 5 bed, 3 bath Single-Family Home listed for $1,549,000. Welcome to 61 Center Drive, a move-in-ready Old Greenwich home at the end o…
https://www.trulia.com/home/61-center-dr-old-greenwich-ct-06…

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Claim 5: “The number of banknotes in circulation in the EU is increasing”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources (The Guardian, Anadolu Ajansı, and others) report that the amount of cash in circulation in the EU is increasing, citing Philip Lane of the ECB.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The European Union (EU) has expanded a number of times throughout its history by way of the accession of new member states to the Union. To join the EU, a state needs to fulfil economic and political …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlargement_of_the_European_Un…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. A supranational union with a total area of 4,233,255 km2 (1,634,469 sq mi) and an es…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The European Union (EU) is a supranational union of 27 member states that are party to the EU's founding treaties, and thereby subject to the privileges and obligations of membership. They have agreed…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_state_of_the_European_U…

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 6: “Olive McCarthy, professor at University College Cork”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found for this claim in the provided search results.

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Claim 7: “Philip Lane, the chief economist of the European Central Bank (ECB), said at the MacGill summer school conference in Ireland [that the amount in circulation is actually going up]”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web sources explicitly state that ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane made these remarks at the MacGill summer school conference in Ireland.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Philip Richard Lane (born 27 August 1969) is an Irish economist who has been serving as a member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank since 2019 and concurrently as ECB chief economist.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_R._Lane

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “More than 31bn notes are in circulation compared with 24bn just before the pandemic in 2019”

DISPUTED

One source reports the number of banknotes grew to over 31 billion from 24 billion in 2019. However, another source (Ajel English) reports the numbers as 31 million and 24 million, creating a significant discrepancy in the unit of measurement (billion vs million).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 2019 (MMXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2019th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 19th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2019 ADAC 24 Hours of Nürburgring was the 47th running of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. It took place over 20–23 June 2019. The race was won by Pierre Kaffer, Frank Stippler, Dries Vanthoor and Fré…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_24_Hours_of_Nürburgring

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. It is known by a collection of names including: Saint Sylvester's Day, New Year's Eve or Old Year's Day/Night,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_31

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 9: “the €50 note the most popular in 2025 followed by the €100”

SINGLE SOURCE

Only one source (Ajel English) mentions that the €50 note was the most widely used in 2025 followed by the €100. Other search results are generic banknote guides and not specific to 2025 EU data.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 50 COUNTRIES • 50 BANKNOTES In this video, I’m showing you 50 different banknotes from 50 different countries from my collection. Each banknote is unique, with its own designs, colours, portraits, sym…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W_zxtnoyYE

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Banknote Identifiers and Symbols. Each Federal Reserve note includes identifiers that provide information about the note, such as designating the year in which the note’s design was approved. Front of…
https://www.uscurrency.gov/denominations/bank-note-identifie…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — For other banknotes, we use the Banknote Book numbering system (TBB) or the Pick numbering system (Standard Catalog of World Paper Money). Customs charges and and taxes of the country of destination a…
https://www.polymernotes.com/en/shop/banknotes/?add[0]=61_12…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.