Dutch banks closed nearly 1,000 ATMs last year

Dutch banks closed 979 ATMs last year. There are now 4,916 ATMs in the Netherlands - a third less than 2.5 years ago, NOS reports based on figures from Dutch central bank DNB.

The opening hours of ATMs have also been reduced. Most are turned off between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. - a closing time introduced at the end of 2020 as a temporary measure against ATM bombings. Many banks turned it into a permanent measure, only keeping ATMs in the entertainment areas open until 2:00 a.m.

"We have seen that the night closures, in combination with security measures, are very effective against bombings. We will stick to it," Peggy Corstens of Geldmaat, which took over the operation of ATMs from several Dutch banks, said to the broadcaster. "It is unfortunate that it is necessary, but on the other hand, the need to withdraw money late at night is not so great."

"The use for cash has fallen and is expected to fall further. Where possible, we remove [ATMs] where there are too many. And where there are too few ATMs, we put them down," Corstens said. Geldmaat aims for almost all Netherlands residents to have an ATM within 5 kilometers, as agreed with the consumers' association Consumentenbond.

According to Figures from the Dutch Payments Association, 23 percent of transactions in the Netherlands happen with cash.