The Wide World of ATM Usage: Huge Differences Everywhere

It would be easy to think that there’s not a whole lot of difference from one country to the next when it comes to automatic teller machine (ATM) usage, but there’s actually a lot more going on behind the scenes than a lot of people think. A new report sent our way from Transaction Network Services reveals what’s going on with the ATM all over the world.

The study covered 3,046 adults from the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, making for a decent pool. One of the biggest issues is the growing blocks of users that never actually hit an ATM. Ten percent of UK users, 29 percent of US users and 16 percent of Australian users never actually darken an ATM’s doorstep. As compared to the same study two years prior, ATM usage in general is on the decline as more users are moving from higher-frequency visits to lower-frequency. The US, for example, hiked its “never use” numbers from 21 percent in 2015 to 29 percent just two years later.

ATMs for mobile use—like ATMs located at certain stores, fairgrounds, and similar venues—are being fairly well-received; the younger set is more predisposed to their use. For instance, 42 percent of 18-24 year olds and 43 percent of 25-34 year olds are positive about mobile ATMs, but only 28 percent of 35-44 year olds can say likewise. That number falls through the floor the older the respondent, with 45-54 year olds only giving an 18 percent positive, and 15 percent of 55 and up doing likewise.

Whether it’s due to a cashless society in progress or a general unease about ATM safety—turns out the answers vary by location as well—it’s clear that the ATM isn’t exactly well-received today. While there are some bright spots here, we may well be seeing the earliest stirrings of cashless societies world-wide. Each country had a certain number of users that just plain didn’t need cash any more thanks to mobile payment systems of various types. While cash is effectively the original mobile payment system, its value among users is in clear decline.

That’s going to be one of the biggest changes the planet has ever known, and the society that follows may be unrecognizable from what it is today.