The number of ATMs in Germany is decreasing.
The trend towards cashless payments is gaining traction in this nation, leading to a decrease in the usage of ATMs. Despite this, the appetite for alternative means to obtain cash remains high.
Savings banks in Germany have experienced a decline in ATM availability over the past few years. The German Savings Banks and Giro Association reported that there were 21,000 ATMs in operation nationwide as of 2023, which is a decrease from 25,500 in 2018. Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken ATMs have also dwindled from around 18,100 in 2018 to about 14,700 the previous year.
The total number of ATMs in Germany in 2023 was approximately 51,800, which is fewer than the record of 61,100 in 2015 but much greater than the number in the 1990s, when the count was well below the 50,000 mark.
The German Savings Banks and Giro Association noted a decline in withdrawals from savings banks since 2016, but average withdrawal amounts have risen. The association stated: "We cannot provide more detailed information that could be used to draw conclusions about transaction volumes for security reasons."
An increasingly popular option for getting cash in Germany is through supermarkets and other stores. In 2019, retailers paid out 2.23 billion euros to customers, increasing to more than 12.3 billion euros in 2023. This service is provided by retailers such as Rewe and Edeka, drugstores like DM and Rossmann, and DIY stores.
The frequency of dispensing 50 euro bills at ATMs can be attributed to their large volume: the 50 euro note is more common than any other denomination in the Eurosystem. According to a report by the Bundesbank, there were approximately 14.4 billion 50 euro bills in circulation in 2022 compared to 2.1 billion 5 euro bills and around 3 billion 10 euro bills.
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Visitors to Germany might find it challenging to locate ATMs from cooperative banks, given the decline in their availability. Despite this, many Germans opt for saving banks to withdraw cash using their savings accounts.
Source: www.ntv.de
