ATMIA to Explore the Economics of ATM Access at ICCOS EMEA in Cape Town

ATMIA will participate in the EMEA Cash Cycle Seminar (ICCOS) in Cape Town, South Africa, from 30 November–2 December 2026, joining industry stakeholders to discuss the future of cash, ATM infrastructure and access within an evolving payments environment.

Taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the event brings together stakeholders from across the cash circulation ecosystem to exchange strategies, technologies, best practices and case studies. The 2026 EMEA theme, “Resilient, Inclusive, and Future-Ready: Shaping the EMEA Cash Ecosystem,” provides a timely backdrop for discussions about how cash infrastructure can continue to evolve alongside the growth of digital payments.

As part of the event, ATMIA will coordinate an interactive workshop under the theme “The Economics of Access: Rethinking the Role of the ATM in a Hybrid Payments Economy.”

The Economics of Maintaining Access

Digital payments continue to grow and consumer behaviour is changing, but cash remains important to millions of consumers and businesses. The challenge is therefore not simply about cash versus digital payments, but how different payment methods can coexist while ensuring consumers continue to have meaningful choice and access.

This has particular relevance across African markets, where the practical realities of providing access to cash can vary considerably.

The economics of operating an ATM in a major urban centre with high transaction volumes can be very different from maintaining infrastructure in rural, remote or underserved communities. Operators and financial institutions must balance the costs of hardware, cash replenishment, maintenance, connectivity, power, security and compliance against transaction volumes and the wider need to maintain access.

In some locations, traditional ATM deployment models can therefore be challenging to sustain. Yet these may also be communities where cash remains particularly important and alternative banking infrastructure is limited.

ATMIA's workshop will explore how the industry can respond to these realities. Discussions will consider the economics of deploying and operating ATM estates, extending services to underserved communities, changing patterns of ATM usage and the potential for cash recycling, value-added services and other innovations to improve the economics and functionality of the channel.

Resilience will also form part of the conversation. Reliable cash access depends on more than the ATM itself. Power, telecommunications, cash supply, security and supporting infrastructure all need to work effectively. Periods of disruption and crisis have reinforced the importance of ensuring cash infrastructure can continue to support communities when other systems come under pressure.

Bringing African Perspectives to the Table

A key objective of ATMIA's participation will be to ensure that the discussion reflects the diversity and practical experience of African markets.

There is no single model for cash access across the continent. Markets face different challenges relating to geography, infrastructure, financial inclusion, security, regulation and consumer behaviour. ATMIA is therefore engaging with stakeholders in South Africa and the wider region to bring a broad range of industry perspectives into the workshop.

The session will combine short industry presentations, panel discussion and interactive roundtables, providing participants with an opportunity not simply to listen, but to share their own experiences, identify common challenges and consider practical solutions.

The aim is to move beyond identifying the pressures facing ATM and cash infrastructure and towards considering what a sustainable model for future access could look like.

Collaboration and Payment Choice

There is unlikely to be one solution to the economics of access. Maintaining sustainable cash infrastructure will require collaboration between central banks, commercial banks, ATM deployers, cash management companies, technology providers and other participants across the payments ecosystem.

For ATMIA, this also sits firmly within the wider principle of payment choice. As payments become increasingly digital, consumers should continue to have the ability to choose the payment method that best meets their circumstances and needs. Meaningful choice, however, depends upon the infrastructure supporting those choices remaining accessible, resilient and economically sustainable.

ICCOS EMEA provides an important opportunity to bring these perspectives together.

ATMIA encourages members, financial institutions and other stakeholders from across Africa and the wider EMEA region to join us in Cape Town and contribute to the conversation. The experience of those operating, supporting and regulating ATM and cash infrastructure will be essential in helping shape what sustainable access should look like in the years ahead.

EMEA Cash Cycle Seminar (ICCOS)
30 November–2 December 2026 | Cape Town International Convention Centre
Event information and registration: https://currencyresearch.com/the-emea-cash-cycle-seminar-iccos