The Disappearance of ATMs in France: The Real Reason Banks Are Reducing ATMs — Who Pays the Price for Convenience?

The Day When ATMs Are No Longer "Commonplace"

In France, ATMs on street corners (known locally as DABs, or distributeur automatique de billets) are quietly disappearing. The headlines are striking: "5,000 machines have vanished in six years." However, this is not an exaggeration. A post shared on social media by France-Antilles, citing a study by the Banque de France, indicated that "10,000 machines have been reduced since 2018, with approximately 1,500 in 2024 alone," sparking significant reactions.LinkedIn

Of course, this doesn't mean the "entire country will suddenly stop using cash." According to the official announcement by the Banque de France, the number of DABs in operation at the end of 2024 will be 42,578. Although this is a decrease from the previous year's end (44,123 machines), it represents a gradual reduction rather than a sudden collapse.Banque de France

However, gradual changes tend to become pain points in daily life. This is because the value of an ATM lies in its proximity when you need it.

Why Are Banks Reducing ATMs?—The Reality of "Cost" and "Decreased Usage"

The background is simple: the frequency of cash withdrawals is decreasing. Le Monde reports that DAB usage has decreased by 30% from 2017 to 2023, with the annual number of withdrawals reaching a scale of about 1 billion times. The spread of contactless payments and the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated this trend.Le Monde.fr

As usage decreases, the maintenance costs of machines (refilling, security, malfunction handling, and rental fees for installation locations) become burdensome. From the bank's perspective, maintaining underutilized machines could lead to increased fees for other services.

Additionally, from the user's perspective, there are increasing cases where fees are charged for "mobile withdrawals" at ATMs of other banks, making it less common for withdrawals to be free everywhere.Le Monde.fr

The "Cash Disparity" Begins in Rural Areas

However, even if people say, "There are still 40,000 machines," based solely on numbers, those who are inconvenienced will still be inconvenienced. The issue is not the total number of machines but whose living area will lose them first.

The Banque de France indicates the proportion of the population that can reach a cash withdrawal point within 15 minutes as an accessibility indicator, stating that **98.8%** fall into this category.assemblee-nationale.fr

At first glance, this seems impressive, but the remaining 1.2% can be statistically "minor," yet in real life, it can be significant. For those without cars, people with disabilities, areas with limited public transportation, tourist spots during peak seasons, and the elderly—the more conditions overlap, the easier "15 minutes" becomes an "unreachable distance."

Additionally, Boursorama notes that many of the reduced DABs were biased towards municipalities with populations exceeding 2,000, making it difficult to simplify the issue as "rural areas being unilaterally abandoned."boursorama.com

Nonetheless, in a town with only one ATM, its disappearance has a far greater impact than in urban areas. Small shops rely on cash circulation for change and securing change, so as the "entry point for cash" narrows, it affects the regional economy.

Countermeasure 1: Banks Collaborate with "Cash Services"

To "fill the gap" of shrinking ATMs, banks are moving towards joint operations. "Cash Services," a collaboration between BNP Paribas, Crédit Mutuel (including CIC), Société Générale, and others, is introduced as an attempt to streamline operations by branding DABs under a common brand and maintaining the network.cash-services.fr

According to Société Générale's guidance, access to a wide network of sites (on the order of thousands) is expected to expand by 2026.particuliers.sg.fr

The important point is that this is not about "increasing ATMs," but rather the concept of **reducing redundancy and "leaving them where needed."** The idea is to organize situations where ATMs from different banks line up every few meters in urban areas, reduce maintenance costs, and allocate those savings to fill in blank areas—it's a rational approach in theory.

Countermeasure 2: Withdrawals at Stores "Cashback/Cash-in-Shop"

Another trend is the system of "receiving cash at stores." The Banque de France explains the method of adding an amount to the card payment amount and receiving the difference in cash (commonly known as cashback).Banque de France

Furthermore, consumer groups have noted the potential for "cash withdrawals at stores" to expand by 2026 (such as the development of cash-in-shop), organizing it as a movement to complement regional cash access.Unaf

As ATMs decrease, these alternative routes become crucial infrastructure. However, challenges remain for stores, such as security, cash register funds, and fee structures.

Social Media Reactions: Anger, Anxiety, and Acceptance Erupt Simultaneously

The topic of ATM reduction evokes a wide range of emotions on social media.

1) Distrust and Conspiracy Theories: "Are They Shutting Out Cash?"
Posts suggesting "cashless society = surveillance society" or "the goal is to abolish cash" tend to gain traction. Such narratives are easily linked with CBDCs (central bank digital currencies), and AFP's fact-checking clarifies that claims like "cash is being erased" based on banking crises or CBDCs are incorrect.factuel.afp.com

2) The Perspective of Digital Disadvantaged: "Unfriendly to the Elderly"
For those not accustomed to smartphones or apps, "an ATM being far away = life becomes difficult." Especially in rural areas, voices saying "stores can't operate without cash" are more common.

3) The Realists: "We Can't Maintain What We Don't Use"
Conversely, many posts argue, "If fewer people use cash, rationalization is natural," and "the cost ultimately falls on everyone through account fees and interest rates." The numbers showing decreased usage presented by Le Monde support this "acceptance."Le Monde.fr

4) Solution-Oriented: "Develop Joint ATMs and In-Store Withdrawals"
Instead of ending in anger, voices are calling for system design and public relations efforts, such as "joint operations like Cash Services to fill in blank areas" and "more awareness of the ability to withdraw at stores."cash-services.fr

(※The following are examples of typical arguments (fictional))

• "If ATMs disappear, stores that only accept cash will die first. Isn't the order reversed?"

• "Cashless is convenient. But during power outages or communication failures, cash is the last resort."

• "Joint ATMs are good. The question is whether they will come to 'our village.'"

• "If withdrawals at stores are possible, it would help, but ensure the risks for stores are properly compensated."

This Is Not the "End of ATMs," But a "Redesign of Cash Infrastructure"

Ultimately, what is happening is not "abandoning cash," but "restructuring the system that supports cash." As DABs decrease, joint networks (Cash Services) and in-store withdrawals become more important. The quality of the redesign depends on how much the government, banks, and communities perceive "cash access as a highly public service."

The data from the Banque de France currently shows that access remains at a high level.Banque de France

However, even if the "average" is maintained, if the "edges" are cut off, social dissatisfaction will amplify. The reason social media reactions are intense is not so much about the numbers but because the core emotion is the fear of being "left behind."

In an era of decreasing ATMs, the question is not about the pros and cons of cashless transactions."Ensuring that people who need cash can access it when they need it, without losing dignity"—how to maintain that commonplace aspect is the real issue.