ATMIA US Conference

How retail ATMs are transforming into financial kiosks

Customers still want retail ATMs, but expect advanced self-service banking tools. Enter the financial kiosk.

Photo: Adobe Stock

February 17, 2026 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

Summarize with

ATMs have been in a state of transition for quite some time now, as they transform beyond cash dispensers to full self-service banking solutions. Advanced features are positioning the ATM to provide stronger banking tools in retail environments.

Ben Gregman, SVP of NCR Atleos, spoke at a session at ATMIA, held in Arlington, Texas from Feb. 10 to 12 on how ATMs are moving from cash dispensers to retail financial hubs.

Cash usage, early retail ATMs

During COVID-19, cash usage plummeted and many predicted the end of cash. However, that turned out not to be the case. Since 2020, cash in circulation has risen by 33% in the U.S. to $2.4 trillion.

As a result, ATMs are thriving industry, and that is most reflected in the changing expectations around retail ATMs.

Initially, the promise for retail ATMs was to allow you to get cash fast, while using any card. To this day, ATMs are a preferred banking touchpoint for customers at 54%, only topped by bank mobile apps at 61%.

This applies to Gen Z as well, as Gregman quoted a study that the top reason Gen Z customers would consider switching to a different bank is because of closer ATMs, with 41.7% declaring this their top motivator.

This is one reason why Chime had the most new accounts than any other bank, as it offered convenient access to ATMs. However, customers don't just want to do cash withdrawals on ATMs, they want full financial kiosks.

What do customers want?

"I want to be able to do more, I want to be able to do a lot more," Gregman said.

An internal study conducted by NCR Atleos found the following features are highly sought after by customers:

44% want a cash deposit.
23% want bill pay.
52% want pickup or fulfill sending of cash.
63% want a cash advance of $500 or less.

Bregman said the customer mindset is, "I can do this on my phone. I want to be able to do this anywhere."

From ATMs to financial kiosks

With this mindset of convenience, Bregman said the new retail ATM is "a financial kiosk that can support cash in and out, small business deposits, store cash management, gift card purchase, lottery redemption and bill pay fulfillment."

Retailers can also stand to benefit from these financial kiosks for a variety of reasons. For one, 55% of retail ATM users spend $10 or more in the store. They are bigger spenders than other customers. For another, one in three customers will consider going to a different business that has advanced ATMs available.

However, despite the opportunities presented by financial kiosks, there are still major challenges with deploying financial kiosks as nonbanks.

Challenges

The biggest issue, according to Bregman, is regulatory issues. "You're stepping into a space that is a little grey."

Other issues include cash supply logistics, retailer buy-in, and processor support. In order to address these issues, Bregman said it's key to bring regulators and bank partners in the discussion.

How can nonbanks start this journey toward advanced financial kiosks? Bregman offered four tips:

Start with compliance first. Consequences are high for violations.
Build a business case.
Seek out partners that can help you test and learn.
Start small, scale up and stay focused on your business case.

Banks / Financial Customer Experience

About Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper is the editor of ATM Marketplace and Food Truck Operator. He was previously the editor of Digital Signage Today. His background is in information technology, advertising, and writing.

Connect with Bradley: