Large banks are going to open more terrace machines

Batopin was founded by the major banks Belfius, BNP Paribas Fortis, ING and KBC to run bank -neutral cash points in their place. This was needed because more and more bank offices are closing.

Initially, the intention was to place cash points of Batopin at 970 locations in the country. But after an investigation by the Belgian Competition Authority, the banks have promised to open more machines, according to the competition authority. The watchdog was worried that consumers had to travel a greater distance to the nearest machine and that the quality of the service would fall.

Confirm the banks. « Another 70 extra cash points are added, which will bring the total to 1,040 different locations where consumers, regardless of which bank they are customers, can collect cash, » confirms Batopin.

This brings accessibility to the ATMs of the major banks at the same level of 2019, says Batopin CEO Jeroen Ghysel. Especially in Brussels there are machines, but also in rural areas.

The banks are also committed to ensuring at least 2030 that more than 95 percent of consumers will find a cash point within five kilometers of their home.

Today there are 620 such cash points, and 200 lease contracts have been signed for new points. « This determines 80 percent of the points, » said Ghysel. Batopin opens a cash point about daily. Although the regulations remain « a challenge, » says Ghysel.

According to the CEO, about half of the cash points are in rural municipalities or sub -municipalities, and there are 50 in villages that had not had a cash machine for five years.

For the sake of clarity: there may be several terraced machines at a cash point. In total, the 1,040 cash points will be good for around 2,500 ATMs. And Batopin is of course not the only player in our country who runs ATMs.

For the Belgian competition authority, the commitments of the banks meet its concerns. The watchdog therefore stops the investigation.