ATM number in Italy 2000-2022
The number of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Italy decreased steadily in the years between 2009 and 2020. In fact, after counting over 54 thousand ATMs in 2009, Italy saw this number decline to around 48 thousand in 2020. This decline went hand in hand with the decrease in the number of bank branches, which went down to 23.4 thousand in 2020, from 33.6 thousand in 2011. Most likely, this is due to the fact that the increasing popularity of home and mobile banking has reduced the need for people to visit bank offices.
A decrease in bank branches and ATMs (both in numbers and in use by customers) is also due to the increasing easiness of card payments. In fact, the number of Point of Sales (POS) terminals in Italy increased more than twofold since 2009, reaching amost 3.6 million in 2019. This led to an identic spike in card payments at POS terminals, which exceeded 3.4 billion in 2019.
A similar trend in the EU
Similarly, the number of bank branches has fallen in the whole European Union. Overall the number of bank branches declined from 237.7 thousand in 2008 to 163 thousand in 2019. Also ATMs experienced a similar trend, with the number decreasing steadily since the peak of nearly 456 thousand recorded in 2014.POS payments on the rise
A decrease in bank branches and ATMs (both in numbers and in use by customers) is also due to the increasing easiness of card payments. In fact, the number of Point of Sales (POS) terminals in Italy increased more than twofold since 2009, reaching amost 3.6 million in 2019. This led to an identic spike in card payments at POS terminals, which exceeded 3.4 billion in 2019.
