ANZ, one of Australia's Big Four banks, plans to stop allowing withdrawals and deposits at certain branches, pushing customers towards using ATMs and deposit machines. The affected branches are all metropolitan, with ANZ saying in-branch transactions have decreased by over 50% in the past four years. The move comes as Australia continues to shift towards a cashless society, with cash payments falling from 59% in 2007 to just 27% in 2019, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia. However, individual freedom and privacy concerns remain, as cash transactions offer anonymity and no transaction record. A CBDC pilot program is currently underway in Australia. (Cointelegraph)