The transition from a cash-dependent economy to a digitally empowered payment ecosystem is a critical aspect of India’s financial inclusion journey. This research explores the influence of ATM and card payment infrastructure on reducing cash dependency in India. It evaluates how the expansion of digital payment tools fosters a shift towards digital transactions. The study investigates the density of ATMs and card payment terminals as determinants of digital payment adoption, aiming to assess their collective impact on cash reliance. Quantitative methods including path coefficient analysis and bootstrapping techniques were used to verify the robustness of the model. This study reveals that the ATM infrastructure provides a useful service for reducing cash dependency, while the Cash Transaction Framework optimistically steers the virtual payment organization. However, the mediation evaluation shows that the digital payment system does not significantly interfere with the relationship between infrastructure and cash dependency. The results underline the importance of strong foundations to accelerate the adoption of digital payments. In addition, the study recommends that action and technological elements affecting virtual remittance acceptance be intensified to increase financial involvement and move towards a less cash-dependent economy.