Payment Radar
Senate passes Common Cents Act on cash rounding; bill heads to the President
The U.S. Senate passed the Common Cents Act on September 28, 2026, sending it to President Donald Trump, Payments Dive reported. The bill gives merchants a federal framework for rounding cash transactions to the nearest nickel and formally ends U.S.
Payment RadarOriginal source: Payments Dive · linked publisher media; native reuse rights require confirmation 
What changed
Correction (October 2026): An earlier version said federal law now permits and standardizes cash rounding and advised merchants to apply ‘new federal rounding guidelines’. The bill has passed Congress but is not law until the President signs it. It was also dated September 30, 2026; Payments Dive published the report on September 29, 2026.
The Senate passed the Common Cents Act on Monday, September 28, 2026, after a second House vote earlier in September, and the bill now heads to President Donald Trump, according to Payments Dive. The bill gives merchants a legal framework for rounding cash transactions to the nearest nickel, formally ends U.S. Mint production of the penny (pennies will still be produced as collectible coins), does not apply to electronic transactions, and directs the Treasury to explore cheaper metals for the nickel. A Senate amendment requires Treasury to notify Congress of any future currency discontinuation with a transition plan. The final batch of circulating pennies was struck last November.
Why a business should care
If signed, the bill would give cash-handling merchants a single federal rounding standard, which retail groups have sought as pennies leave circulation. It is not law yet.
Who it affects
U.S. merchants that accept cash, especially high-volume retail, convenience and restaurant businesses.
What to consider doing
Payment Radar’s view: prepare, but do not change cash-rounding practices because of this bill until it is signed and the rules take effect; check with your POS provider how rounding would be configured.
Uncertainty and risks
The bill becomes law only when signed; NACS expects signature in the coming weeks, but timing is not confirmed. Effective dates and implementation details are not given in the report.
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