
ATM numbers in the EU-27 2000-2020, by country
By 2020, Germany had overtaken the United Kingdom in having the most Automated teller machines (ATMs) of all countries in Europe. Between December 2018 and December 2020, approximately 9,000 ATMs in the UK closed. This is opposed to Germany - one of the few bigger countries in Europe where ATM figures grew in this timeframe. Automated teller machines are banking outlets, which allow basic financial transactions, such as checking of the account balance or withdrawing cash, to be carried out without an assistance of the branch representative. Debit or credit card is all that is needed to provide fund access, and security of the operation is typically ensured by a PIN (personal identification number) code. More complex ATM units also allow for depositing money or establishing of credit lines.