ATMs vanish from Polish Streets – What does it mean for customers?

More and more Poles announcement that the number of ATMs on the streets is decreasing rapidly. Only during the first 4th of 2024, around 1,200 ATMs were liquidated in Poland, and these numbers are constantly increasing. The situation is peculiarly alarming erstwhile we look at data from the National Bank of Poland (NBP), which show that the number of ATMs is falling at a evidence rate.

ATMs in Poland – Dramatic Drop in device Numbers

ATMs have been a common sight on the Polish streets for many years, but the number is steadily decreasing. At the beginning of 2024, there were around 21 1000 ATMs in Poland, which translates into only 67 devices per million inhabitants. This is much little than in another countries, specified as Germany (79 devices) or the US (174). Moreover, the number of ATMs per million people in Poland is lower than in Namibia.

The largest ATM operator in the country, Euronet, announced that by the end of 2024 it would close around 330 machines from the current pool of 7,000 devices. This situation is the consequence of a decrease in the profitability of the operation of ATM operations.

Why are ATMs disappearing?

The decrease in ATM numbers is due to respective reasons, and 1 of the most crucial is the expanding cost of maintaining machines. Operators specified as Euronet are struggling with advanced device handling costs, while interchange fees for cash withdrawals have not changed in years. According to Marek Szafirski, Euronet's president, “the steady rising cost of operating ATMs while at the same time low and unchanged for years the interchange fee for cash withdrawals” represents a major challenge for operators.

An additional problem is the decreasing number of cash transactions. In the first 4th of 2024, an average of 5.5 1000 withdrawals per ATM accounted for – this is the lowest score since the beginning of 2022. The monthly amount of cash paid besides decreased – from PLN 5 million in 2023 to 4.6 million in the first 4th of 2024 .

What consequences will the client feel?

For many customers, disappearing ATMs may require longer commutes to the nearest machine. In addition, operators limit the amount of payments – for example, Euronet reduced the maximum amount of one-off payment to PLN 800. In practice, this means that customers who request more cash will gotta make respective transactions, which could lead to higher fees.

It is besides worth noting that more and more banks are introducing fresh charges for the usage of ATMs, especially in cash withdrawals from devices belonging to another operators. These fees may be up to PLN 10 per transaction .

Is it the End of ATMs in Poland?

Although disappearing ATMs are a problem that is expanding in Poland, this does not mean that they will completely vanish from the market. ATMs will inactive be available in cities, although their number may be more limited. Operators may, however, begin to put more emphasis on the improvement of alternate payment methods specified as BLIC, which is becoming increasingly popular. In Poland more and more transactions are carried out without cash, which besides reduces interest in utilizing ATMs.

Although ATMs will stay an crucial component of the financial infrastructure, reducing their number will have consequences for those who regularly usage cash. With the increase in cash withdrawal fees and the closure of subsequent machines, customers may be forced to rethink their payment habits.