Cash Withdrawals Down, But Access to ATMs Expands

Australians continue to access cash in large numbers, but the way they do it is changing. According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, there were 28.1 million ATM withdrawals made across Australia in May alone, worth $9.4 billion.

The Reserve Bank's 2025 Consumer Payments Survey found that around half of Australians use cash in a typical week. However, when asked if they ever used cash for everyday payments outside the survey period, only 13% said they never did.

Banks are increasingly partnering with ATM networks to give their customers access beyond their own machines. For example, atmx partners with over 26 financial institutions whose customers can withdraw cash and check their balance across the network without paying an ATM operator fee.