Australia is increasingly shifting towards a cashless economy, and speaking with street performer Sherina highlights the real impact of this change. The 23-year-old street performer, who has been playing music on the streets of Sydney for several years, has witnessed a significant decline in the number of people carrying cash, directly affecting her income.

The Disappearance of Cash from the Streets

Sherina shared, “People would come up to me and say, ‘I’m sorry! I don’t have any cash’.” She explained that this shift started before the COVID-19 pandemic but has worsened since the lockdowns ended.

Sherina, one of the most successful street performers in Australia with over a million followers on TikTok and 800,000 followers on Instagram, mainly performs in Sydney’s central business district. However, with people now preferring digital payments, earning a living in 2024 has become more challenging.

The Shift to Digital Payments

According to PayPal’s report on the circular economy, one in seven Australians has completely stopped using cash. In fact, 73% of Australians conduct most of their spending through digital means, making cash increasingly rare.

Sherina noted that while people now use her PayPal QR code to pay during performances, the process lacks the spontaneity that cash donations used to have. Now, people need to take out their phones, scan the code, follow a few steps, and then pay—removing some of the magic from the direct interaction.

Declining Income and the Impact of the Cost of Living Crisis

Sherina recalls that in 2017, she could make $500 in just one hour at Pitt Street Mall in Sydney. Now, even with the use of modern technology, her income has almost halved, with earnings ranging between $200 to $300 per hour.

She attributes this decline to several factors, including fewer people carrying cash and the ongoing cost of living crisis in Australia.

Economic and Cultural Impact

Sherina expressed her sadness over the decrease in the number of street performers, stating, “Ten years ago, the streets were full of music, but now things are completely different.” She feels that Sydney’s streets have become “completely dead” due to the lack of music and culture.

She also mentioned that the drop in income forced her to diversify her sources of revenue, performing at weddings and private events to make up for the decline from street performances. She noticed some of her fellow performers moving to other cities, such as Melbourne, due to the tough conditions in Sydney.

Defending the Importance of Cash

Despite the decrease in cash usage, Sherina still believes that carrying cash is an essential “right.” She encourages people to continue using cash, stating, “We all need to carry cash because it’s an important right we have.”

Sherina’s story illustrates a new reality faced by street performers and the challenges posed by a cashless economy in Australia, where the digital shift affects not only how people pay but also the country’s culture and social life.

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