The paper challenges the notion of a singular future and frames the much-needed discussion around the future of cash not only as a technological issue, but as a societal question with fundamental implications for trust, inclusion, equality, resilience, sovereignty, privacy and sustainability. The deterministic and often heard narrative of a society without cash is limited in its outlook and can lead to a number of undesirable outcomes for society at large. The topic is not only of interest for central banks, commercial banks, ATM deployers or cash management companies. The nature and governance of money is one of the key tensions that will shape the future. The future monetary landscape needs to reconcile the traditional functions of money with a positive social and environmental impact.