57 Years of Access, Innovation and the Power of Cash

On September 2, 1969, a machine installed at Chemical Bank in Rockville Centre, New York, introduced Americans to a revolutionary idea: access to cash beyond traditional banking hours. The early “Docuteller” was simple by today’s standards, but its promise was transformative. Customers no longer had to organize their lives around a teller window. For the first time in the United States, cash could be available on demand.¹

Fifty-seven years later, that promise remains at the heart of the ATM industry. The ATM has evolved from a single-purpose cash dispenser into a secure, connected self-service channel capable of withdrawals, deposits, balance inquiries, transfers, contactless transactions and, increasingly, cash recycling. Through every generation of technology, its essential role has endured: connecting people to their money when and where they need it.

A Global Network Built Around Access

Today, the United States is home to one of the world’s largest and most diverse ATM markets. ATMIA’s most recent published U.S. population study estimated approximately 520,000 to 540,000 active ATMs at the end of 2022, an increase of about 21,000 terminals from 2021. Because terminals can carry multiple IDs and decommissioned machines may remain in network records, an exact count is difficult—but the estimate demonstrates the strength and reach of the U.S. channel.²

Worldwide, Datos Insights reported that the installed base declined 2% in 2024 to approximately 2.9 million ATMs. The figure reflects an industry in transition rather than retreat: more than half of ATMs worldwide now accept automated deposits, most using recycling technology, while deployers continue to expand access in markets where cash demand remains strong (Datos Insights, 2025).³

More Than a Machine

Every ATM represents a broader ecosystem of financial institutions, independent ATM deployers, manufacturers, processors, cash-in-transit providers, software developers, security specialists, service technicians and retailers. Together, these organizations keep the channel available, reliable and secure—often in places where branches have closed or banking options are limited.

That work matters because access is not an abstract concept. An ATM can be a lifeline for a rural community, a small business preparing for the day, a traveler far from home or a consumer managing a tight household budget. Modern fleets are also becoming smarter: remote monitoring improves uptime, predictive tools streamline cash management, contactless access supports convenience, and recycling technology keeps deposited cash working locally.

The Power of Cash Endures

Digital payments continue to expand, but the story is not cash versus digital. Consumers value choice, and cash remains a trusted part of that choice. The Federal Reserve’s 2026 Findings from the Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, reporting on 2025 behavior, found that cash remained the third-most-used payment instrument for the sixth consecutive year and accounted for about one in seven U.S. consumer payments. Consumers made an average of six cash payments per month out of 47 total payments (Federal Reserve Financial Services, 2026).⁴

The same research found that 76% of consumers carried cash, with an average of $69 on hand, while 45% stored an average of $364 elsewhere for savings or emergencies. Four out of five consumers had used cash in the prior 30 days, and 90% planned to continue using it. Cash remained especially important to households earning less than $25,000, adults age 55 and older, and rural consumers, who averaged nine cash payments per month compared with six among suburban and urban consumers (Federal Reserve Financial Services, 2026).⁵

The Federal Reserve’s 2025 triennial Payments Study, released in July 2026 and covering calendar year 2024, adds important context. U.S. consumers and businesses made 236.6 billion noncash payments in 2024, with cards representing 79% of that volume. The study also reported that ATM cash withdrawals continued to decline by both number and value—evidence that the industry’s opportunity lies not only in transaction volume, but also in efficient access, advanced functionality and the ATM’s role as resilient cash infrastructure (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2026).⁶

Cash also works when other systems do not. During power outages, network disruptions or emergencies, physical currency can provide continuity and confidence. It helps consumers budget, supports small and cash-preferred businesses, and allows people to participate in the economy without requiring a device, a data plan or perfect connectivity. ATMs are the bridge that turns cash from a concept into practical, local access.

Honoring the Past, Building What Comes Next

The first U.S. ATM transformed banking by making cash available beyond branch walls and business hours. Fifty-seven years later, the industry continues that legacy by making the channel more secure, efficient and convenient—while ensuring it remains relevant for the next generation.

That progress depends on the people and organizations that share expertise, address common challenges and strengthen the cash ecosystem. ATMIA brings them together through education, advocacy, industry resources and year-round opportunities to connect.

Be part of what comes next. Join ATMIA to protect payment choice and advance the industry. Membership gives your entire company year-round access to insights, valuable connections, greater visibility and a voice on the issues that matter.

Join ATMIA in Las Vegas, February 17–19, 2027, for the ATMIA U.S. Conference and a celebration of the ATM’s 60th anniversary. Connect with industry leaders, discover emerging technologies and help mark six decades of progress. Learn more and register here.

“For 60 years, the ATM has helped make financial access more convenient, dependable and widely available. While the payments landscape continues to evolve, one thing remains clear: consumers value choice. The future of the ATM is not simply about dispensing cash—it’s about protecting access, supporting payment choice and using innovation to ensure that cash remains a secure and accessible option alongside the many digital ways people pay.”

— Lonnie C. Talbert, President, ATMIA & Chief Industry Executive, 

¹Encyclopedia Brittanica
²ATM Industry Association, U.S. ATM statistics (2023).
³Datos Insights, worldwide ATM figures (2025).
⁴Federal Reserve Financial Services, consumer payment research (2026).
⁵Federal Reserve Financial Services, consumer payment research (2026); Foster & Hitczenko, related analysis (2026).
⁶Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 2025 Federal Reserve Payments Study (2026).