While 44% of Brazilians remain unbanked, the way the nation spends its money is evolving. Already comfortable with mobile payments and online banking, people are increasingly embracing credit and debit cards because they are more secure than cash.

Germans will happily reject debit cards and mobile payments due to their strong preference for cash, and they may be on to something; using cash helps them keep track of spending. Now, the government is proposing to ban large cash transactions and people aren't happy about it.

Millions of people worldwide are still paid in cash, which can be expensive for businesses to manage and insecure for employees. The Better Than Cash Alliance – a partnership of governments, companies and charities – aims to change that, encouraging digital payments to boost financial inclusion.

Convenience is one of the main appeals of shopping online, but for anyone without a credit or debit card, it's not an option and leaves millions cut-off. With Amazon Cash, there's no need for a bank account, making it a useful alternative to those without a bank account.