The banks changed the cash front. VIRGIN appeal against digital paralysis

A large turn in the planet of finance has just been accomplished, and the consequences will be felt by all Pole. The institutions that have been actively encouraging us over the years to abandon physical money for digital payments present are beating the alarm and begging the opposite: Keep the cash in the house! The reason is one, but frightening: something is coming that could paralyze the full digital banking in 2025, cutting off millions of their savings. It's not panic, it's a real threat assessment, backed by hard data.

The European Central Bank, in its study "Keep calm and carry with you cash", makes it clear that the banknotes are our "stock wheel" of the payment system. The Netherlands has already reacted, suggesting citizens have EUR 200-500 in cash for a household. In Poland, experts go 1 step further: they urge maintaining around thousand zlotys. This amount, although at first glance small, is intended to let you to operate for at least a week without access to a card, banking application or ATM. In the face of expanding cyber threats, this conventional reserve becomes a priceless insurance policy.

Why are the banks on alert? Shocking statistic of 2025

A extremist change in bank positions is not accidental. Early 2025 statistic are alarming and clearly show the escalation of threats. Only in the first 4th of this year, The number of cyber attacks on European financial institutions has tripled compared to the same period of the erstwhile year. These aren't individual random burglaries. We are dealing with highly organized and systematic campaigns, led by advanced hacker groups, frequently associated with state intelligence agencies.

Cybersecurity experts explain that these groups have almost unlimited resources and usage artificial intelligence to detect even the most subtle safety gaps. Their actions are long-term infiltration campaigns that aim at a decisive blow at the least anticipated moment. In the current geopolitical context, paralyzing financial infrastructure becomes an attractive tool for conducting a hybrid war. Even the largest banks that invest billions of euros in safety admit that no strategy is 100% safe. This is simply a continuous arms race, where all fresh safety becomes a mark for another, more advanced wave of attacks.

Estonian nightmare in practice. What awaits Poles?

The example of Estonia of 2022 is simply a blood-freezing lesson for Europe as a whole. The massive cyber attack paralyzed its electronic banking to full 48 hours. Citizens, although they had money in their accounts, were abruptly cut off from the funds. They couldn't buy food, pay for fuel, or even retreat cash from an ATM that just stopped working. Stores that were able to function at all took only physical money that most people did not have with them.

The script of the Estonian crisis can, and should, be treated as a real informing to Poland and another countries of the European Union. A successful cyber attack means to immediately block mobile applications and online banking, immobilize payment cards in stores and disable ATMs. What is worse, this condition can take far longer than 2 days – days and even weeks. This makes having physical cash not just a convenience, but a key part of surviving in a crisis situation. Without it, even thousands of gold in the account can prove worthless.

Cash is your rescue. How much and how safe to store?

In the face of possible digital paralysis, cash becomes your last line of defense. Experts from the NBP and the Government safety Centre (RCB) agree that around 1000 PLN in tiny denominations is the optimal amount that will let to cover basic expenses for about a week. Think about food shopping, fuel or emergency spending – without cash these basic activities will become impossible. Especially susceptible are people who have completely switched to non-cash payments, families with children and seniors.

But keeping money at home requires reasonableness and a fewer safety principles. It is not about collecting a luck “under the mattress” but about a applicable reserve. store cash in safe place, preferably in a home safe or in a discreet, hard-to-access retention compartment. Absolutely don't inform any outsiders of your reserves. If you decide on larger amounts, consider property insurance. Remember that cash is losing value by inflation (currently in Poland it is about 2.5% per year), so it should be treated as an emergency safety alternatively than a long-term investment strategy. Its main function is to supply liquidity erstwhile digital systems fail.

Not just cash. How to prepare for a digital disaster?

Preparing for cyber disaster is much more than just having cash. The Government safety Center has been recommending the creation of comprehensive emergency supplies for years, and experiences from Spain, where in April 2025 a giant blackout paralyzed the country for respective days, only confirmed the correctness of these recommendations. Polish crisis preparation strategy provides for self-sufficiency for 3-7 dayswhich is much more realistic than the 72 hours recommended by the European Commission.

In addition to cash, your emergency list should include:

• Bottled water supply: a minimum of 3 litres per individual per day.
• Long-term food: canned, dried products, energy bars.
• Battery radio: is the only reliable origin of information in case of power and net failure.
• Flashlights and spare batteries: key for blackout.
• Primary medical kit: painkillers, dressings, chronic diseases.

With this preparation, even in the face of the most serious digital crisis, you will be able to supply yourself and your loved ones with basic safety and comfort.

The current crisis could be a turning point in the digitisation of finance. After decades of promoting electronic payments, banks must admit that technology, although convenient, has its fundamental limitations. The trend to return to cash is already visible: at the end of 2024 the value of euro banknotes in circulation has reached EUR 1588 billionand the national Reserve reports evidence 2323 billion dollars cash in circulation. In Poland, according to NBP, 97% of respondents inactive usage cashand in transactions up to PLN 25 physical money inactive dominates. NBP president Adam Glapiński stressed: "The cash has a function that nothing can replace in a cyber attack situation".

The future is likely to come from a hybrid model, where digital payments will coexist with physical money as a essential backup. For an average citizen, diversification is the most crucial thing. usage digital facilities, but always have a contingency plan in case they fail. Banks changed their minds about cash for a reason. Their warnings are not a manifestation of panic, but a real assessment of the risks we face. Are you ready for a digital crisis?