Across Mexico, cash remains dominant: for purchases under 500 pesos (about $30) roughly 85 per cent of adults say they mostly use banknotes, from tortillerias to toll roads. Informal firms fear tax exposure and card fees of 2‑4 % per transaction.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has tasked close adviser José Antonio Peña Merino with a national push to digitalise payments, aiming that by 2027 at least 50 per cent of adults make at least one digital payment. The plan revamps the central bank’s Codi platform, mandating a standardized user experience and requiring digital acceptance at petrol stations and toll booths.

The government will channel almost $57.3bn in social benefits through digital accounts, and the banking association ABM backs the effort, citing gains in tax collection, financial inclusion and crime reduction.

Retailer Tiendas 3B is piloting cash‑and‑Codi‑only stores, while suppliers such as Pepsi and Grupo Modelo explore expanding digital payments to remote outlets. Success could invite U.S. trade scrutiny, as seen with Brazil’s Pix.