In four years, the network of ATMs has doubled

During the first nine months of this year, Croatian commercial banks installed around 250 new ATMs, bringing the total number of ATMs in Croatia to nearly 2,780.

According to the latest estimates from analysts, in just the last four years, the average annual growth rate of the number of ATMs in Croatia has been as high as 23 percent, which, by European standards, represents a very dynamic growth rate of the ATM network. In other words, in the past four years, the number of ATMs has nearly doubled. From the Croatian National Bank, we learn that currently only six banks, out of a total of 33 that actively operate in the Croatian financial market, do not yet have their own developed ATM network. Individually, Zagrebačka banka has the highest number of installed ATMs, with more than 700.

Along with the constant growth in their number, the number of transactions and especially the total amounts of withdrawals at this bank are also significantly increasing. In the first eight months of this year, around 32 million transactions were conducted at Zagrebačka banka’s ATMs, and nearly 16 billion kuna was withdrawn, which is 10 percent more than in the same period last year. The second place in the number of ATMs (close to 600) is held by Privredna banka Zagreb, with at least six or seven other banks, including Raiffeisen, Erste, Splitska, Hypo, HPB, and OTP banka, having more than a hundred installed ATMs. Incidentally, the first ATM in Croatia was ‘installed’ by the then Riječka banka (now Erste banka) in the center of Rijeka back in 1984.

In addition to the primary role of ATMs – cash withdrawals and deposits, almost all ATMs of our banks also allow, for example, insight into the balance of citizens’ current accounts and deposits to accounts at the largest number of locations across Croatia. Additionally, several BNA ATMs have been installed in our country that accept (and) cash deposits from citizens and legal entities with immediate deposit approval to the account.

By the way, of the total number of ATMs, nearly 70 percent are installed outside bank premises. Although the remaining number (meaning, the approximately 30 percent) of ATMs is installed in ‘closed’ bank premises, we learn that more than a quarter of that number is available to clients almost all day long. Observers of the situation emphasize that in our country (similar to the developed world, e.g., Austria), a new developmental leap must be the opening of far more so-called ‘open’ type banking branches, which would be available to clients 24 hours a day, or equipping them with several types of ATMs for different purposes, thereby practically eliminating the need for clients for traditional counter operations over time. (Nikola Prskalo)