The same system exists for the Dutch public transport (exactly the same cards). Privacy wise you are able to buy an anonymous card with cash. But ... the operators are phasing out machines which are able to accept cash faster than you can find them and they are idiotically expensive if you want to replace them every few weeks as they are tracking you anyways even on the anonymous cards.
Interestingly, in Japan for my short stay there, I found that the Suica card I needed for public transport could only be purchased and recharged with cash.
