In different areas of Italy, ATMs are becoming more and more a mirage, but in the coming years they are intended for a revolution that will change the way we are used to taking. Technological development will lead to the transformation of ATMs through the NFC (Near Field Communication) system, the same used for digital payments via smartphone, gradually sanctioning the disappearance of the card also for the provision of cash.
The counters already capable of providing a much wider range of services of the simple withdrawal of money, will be integrated with intelligent software capable of making the faster and more safe operationsin addition to offering further features.
Bank desertification
The ATM counter revolution can be considered one of the aspects of the increasing diffusion of smart banking, which is bringing more and more credit institutions to Close branches and withdrawal points in the area.
A choice of daughter of the management costs of the management costs adopted by the banking groups and powered by the success of the payment apps on smartphones and in general from the push to digital transactions, which has as its side effect the expansion of the bank desertification.
According to the processing of the Banking Deserting Observatory of First Cisl, on the basis of the Bank of Italy and Istat data updated to 31 December 2024, in Italy almost half of the Italian municipalities (3,381, the 42.8% of the total) are totally without ATM branches.
A removal process that proceeds at the rhythm of – 600 branches per year and which in 2024 saw Close another 508 points of withdrawal.
The ATMs revolutions
If on the one hand a good part hundreds of thousands of thousand Italians are without physical access to banking services, because often not very accustomed to the use of the internet banking, on the other the counters will be the subject of a technological revolution.
The most relevant novelty is represented by the ATMs with Near Field Communication system, the same used in contactless payments: to withdraw from the new generation counters, it will no longer be necessary to introduce the card, but just bring the smartphone or other devices closer with NFC technology to an ‘ Touchscreen interface.
This mode will allow you to use theAdvanced authentication Through facial recognition or fingerprint, already present in most smartphones.
The advantages on safety
The main advantage of the new withdrawal systems lies precisely in the increase in safety levels, effectively reducing the risk of scams by cloning cards, such as skimming.
The supply of cash would therefore become safer and faster, but modern branches would also allow the use of a greater number of services.
If the ATMs already allow access to a wide range of functionality Like the opening of an account, the storage of cash and checks or the transfer of funds, in the future they will also allow foreign operations to the banking circuit, such as the refills of gift cards, the purchase of tickets for sporting and entertainment events, the flight booking.
