Cash usage is diminishing, and more consumers worldwide are turning to digital banking services. Banks have been adapting their ATM deployment strategies to cut costs while preserving access to cash for their customers.
In many markets, independent ATM deployers (IADs) account for a growing share of ATMs, adding terminals to fill gaps left by banks as they rationalise their own fleets. However, many banks are taking a more strategic approach to maintaining cash provision while controlling costs. Two models are emerging as solutions: ATM pooling and ATM-as-a-Service (ATMaaS). Each model offers distinct pathways to improving efficiency while meeting regulatory obligations and customer needs.
What Is ATM Pooling?
ATM pooling refers to several banks joining forces, often with government backing, to offer customers one common ATM network under a single brand and infrastructure. Over the last several years, this mode of operating has become much more common, particularly in markets where ATM numbers have been declining. Below are some examples of pooling initiatives.
Geldmaat (The Netherlands)
A striking example of ATM pooling worldwide is found in the Netherlands. The country’s three largest banks—ING, Rabobank and ABN AMRO—have entirely done away with their ATM fleets, opting instead to set up Geldmaat in 2019. Since this point, ATMs previously deployed by the individual banks have been migrated to the shared network; nearly 4,000 terminals now operate under Geldmaat’s distinctive yellow branding.
Geldmaat aims to ensure adherence to the standards of cash provision set by the Dutch central bank, which stipulates that nearly all Dutch residents should have access to an ATM within five kilometres of their homes. By pooling their resources and strategy, Geldmaat allows the banks to take a centralised approach to meeting this obligation, while optimising running costs.
TAM (Turkey)
Turkey has taken a mixed approach to bank ATM deployment. Several of the country’s largest banks, including Ziraat Bank, VakifBank and Halkbank, were among the founding members of the TAM pooling solution in 2021. A significant number of terminals have been migrated to operate under the TAM brand, but banks continue to operate their own ATM fleets, and customers of other TAM member banks are able to use them at no cost.
TAM members account for roughly one-third of terminals in Turkey, meaning that ATM-sharing agreements are common among banks not involved in a fully-fledged pooling scheme. One of the larger agreements is between ING Bank, İşbank and Akbank, allowing interbank usage at each other’s fleets.
TecBan (Brazil)
TecBan, which operates an ATM network under the brand Banco24Horas, was one of the first joint ATM networks worldwide, launching in 1984 with support from some of Brazil’s foremost banks, including Itaú, Bradesco and Santander.
It wasn’t until 2014, however, that Banco24Horas began to resemble an ATM pooling scheme, when member banks transferred over some of their off-site ATMs to the deployer under a shared brand. In 2022, it began to take over branch-based locations as well. It had deployed over 23,000 ATMs by the end of 2024.
TecBan remains a key part of Brazil’s cash infrastructure. Still, it has reduced the number of ATMs it operates in the last several years, showing that it is not just individual banks that are rethinking ATM placement strategy in response to rising costs and falling cash usage.
Outsourcing ATM Operations: How ATMaaS Works in Practice
ATM pooling offers a collaborative approach to network optimisation, but it requires significant coordination among competing banks and may not be feasible in all markets. ATM-as-a-Service has emerged as a compelling alternative for deployers seeking operational efficiency without the complexity of multibank partnerships. Under this model, banks may retain ownership of their ATM networks while outsourcing day-to-day management to specialised third parties, whether manufacturers, IADs or software providers.
Let’s take a look at some key examples:
Bank of Baroda (India)
ATMaaS agreements are most common in Europe and North America, but banks around the globe are looking to increase efficiencies through finding the right partner for ATM management. In the case of Bank of Baroda, one of India’s largest banks, NCR Atleos was the favoured option, managing roughly half of the bank’s 10,000-strong ATM fleet.
Under the agreement, the ATM manufacturer now manages services such as security and software updates, aiming to modernise the network while minimising downtime. Bank of Baroda has expanded its branch and ATM network in recent years, showing that while ATM-as-a-Service agreements are more common in markets where access to physical banking channels is falling amid rising digital banking, deployers can also see value in outsourcing ATM management when increasing their physical footprints.
Swedbank (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)
IADs have also been chosen to manage banks’ ATM fleets, with the Baltic states providing an interesting example. Many ATM-as-a-Service models are limited to one country, but in 2024, Swedbank signed over the assets and management of its ATM fleets in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to Euronet.
Euronet has been expanding its proprietary ATM network worldwide, but this is one of the first agreements of its kind, allowing Swedbank to reduce operational costs while ensuring its branding remains present across its over 1,000 ATMs in the region.
Batopin (Belgium)
Batopin, Belgium’s ATM pooling network established by BNP Paribas Fortis, Belfius, ING and KBC, has also opted for an ATM-as-a-Service model, with Auriga as the chosen provider for end-to-end management of its fleet. By combining ATM pooling with ATMaaS, Batopin’s member banks stand to reduce costs on two fronts. The joint network of ATMs will allow the removal of terminals which see little use while ensuring access to cash for those who need it, leveraging Auriga’s expertise to reduce running costs for the machines that remain.
Deployers Will Continue Seeking Efficiency in ATM Management Strategy
As the above examples demonstrate, banks are getting creative in managing their ATM estates while balancing cost pressures with customer access needs. Whether through joining forces with other banks or partnering with manufacturers, IADs or software providers for managed services, collaborative models are gaining traction as viable alternatives to traditional deployment.
Currently, pooling and ATMaaS initiatives are most prevalent in mature banking markets where cash usage has been declining year-on-year. However, as economic pressures intensify globally and regulatory expectations around cash access remain firm, Datos Insights expects these collaborative models to expand into new regions. For ATM vendors and service providers, this shift represents an opportunity to deliver value through specialised expertise and economies of scale.
Ready to optimise your ATM strategy? Contact us for more information, or visit our ATM hub page for a wealth of articles and videos, including:
- The Tariff Tangle: How Trade Policies Are Reshaping the ATM Industry, May 2025, which examines the strategic implications of trade policies on ATM markets
- Five Revealing Facts About How Banks Handle Cash Deposits Around the World, March 2025, which discusses global banking practices for cash management
- Exploring Trends in the Global ATM Market, July 2024, which provides comprehensive ATM market analysis and insights
