Business and Marketplace.

Cheque writing is a thing of the past in Germany, where money is almost always transferred electronically; Internet banking is increasingly popular.

Merchants and consumers alike still tend to be leery of credit cards, though they are far more widely accepted today than even a few years ago. Some set a minimum limit.

Instead, debit cards are often the preferred form of payment, though most minor transactions are carried out in cash; ATMs are naturally everywhere and practically all Germans have one or more bank accounts.