Minimizing Risk in the Cash Space
Keep cash secure and visible as it moves through your system.
Sep 24, 2026 | 3 min read
This article is brought to you by U.S. Bank Cash Management Services. 
Although cards and tap-to-pay options are increasingly common methods of payment, many customers still prefer paper money. Cash is the second most common payment method in convenience stores, accounting for 17.5% of transacted sales, according to the NACS State of the Industry Report® of 2025 Data.
While cash remains an important part of many retailers' operations, managing it effectively requires addressing a range of risks.
“When that cash comes into the store, it introduces operational, financial and security risks,” said Dustin Lovell, Vice President of Cash Management Services at U.S. Bank. “These can include theft, manual errors, reconciliation challenges, delays in fund availability and limited visibility into cash activity.”
Think of the way money moves once it leaves the register. “Cash has to be counted, and pickups need to be coordinated before processing and settlement,” Lovell said. “Every handoff creates potential risk, delays, blind spots and operational friction.”
Merchant Cash Solutions, offered by U.S. Bank, supports a documented digital chain of custody around that process by utilizing the U.S. Bank Trakker cash management solution, according to Lovell.
He said this helps create greater visibility as cash moves across a retailer’s network and reduces the amount of time store staff has to spend managing cash logistics.
“Creating a validated electronic record for every cash transaction and deposit is one of the most effective ways businesses can reduce operational risk and improve accountability,” Lovell said. “The Merchant Cash Solutions product can create a secure digital chain of custody that captures, tracks and validates cash activity from acceptance through final settlement.”
He added that Merchant Cash Solutions also helps to reduce risk with reconciliation support, claims management and exception resolution.
Another challenge that Lovell cited is delays in retailers getting access to funds. Merchant Cash Solutions offers advanced settlement, which allows retailers to access working capital before traditional pickup, transportation and processing timelines are completed.
Traditional cash deposit processes often require retailers to wait for pickup, transportation, processing and posting before funds become available. Merchant Cash Solutions helps accelerate access to working capital through advanced settlement, reducing delays and improving cash flow predictability, according to Lovell.
“By combining smart safe technology with U.S. Bank Cash Management Services’ advanced settlement capabilities and a managed cash solution, businesses can reduce cash exposure, strengthen risk controls and support employee safety by reducing cash handling risk,” Lovell said.
“The end result is a cash management strategy with more transparency, lower risk and greater efficiency,” he said. “End-to-end visibility helps organizations make better decisions, improve accountability and allows more time for businesses to do what they do best - service their customers.”
This is the second article in a two-part series brought to you by U.S. Bank Cash Management Services. Read part one to learn more about how unified cash managed services can save retailers time and money.
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