A network of "white ATMs" will be launched in Russia. What you need to know

A network of "white ATMs" will start operating in the Tambov region. These are devices that can service cards from several banks at once without incurring unnecessary fees for customers. This model will make it possible to keep ATMs in places where it is not profitable for banks to maintain their own vending machines. What else is remarkable about "white ATMs" — in the Izvestia article.

"White ATMs" in Russia

• The Russian Collection Association (ROSINKAS), which is a subsidiary of the Central Bank of Russia, announced the creation of a network of "white ATMs" in the country. These are self-service devices that function like regular ATMs, but are not linked to one specific bank. They are available to holders of any bank cards issued by Russian financial institutions. When using "white ATMs", no commission is charged, which is usually charged by their owners when their device is used by a "foreign" customer. The operation of such ATMs is paid for by banks that wish to connect to the network.

• The introduction of "white ATMs" is associated with the constant reduction of self-service devices. According to the Bank of Russia, in 2026 their number decreased to 138 thousand for the whole country. This is the minimum since mid-2010. The largest number of banking devices in Russia was in the middle of 2014, when there were 235.5 thousand units.

Money to the point: it will be possible to deposit cash at any ATM through the SBP

What new features of the system may appear in the future

• Due to the fact that the installation and maintenance of traditional ATMs falls on the shoulders of its sole owner, it becomes unprofitable to place devices in hard-to-reach and sparsely populated areas. At the same time, in commercially advantageous areas such as shopping malls, there is an overabundance of ATMs from various credit institutions. "White ATMs" should solve this problem and make banking services more accessible to the public.

• An experiment with the introduction of "white ATMs" will begin in the Tambov region. The network of devices will first include regional banks, for which it will become more profitable to maintain shared ATMs. It is assumed that with the introduction of a wide network of "white ATMs", banks will be able to reduce device maintenance costs by 30%.

"White ATMs" in the world

• The concept of "white ATMs" has been developing in the world since the 1990s. The first such network in the United States was run by a non-profit association of independent operators. It began to massively introduce ATMs available to all banks at gas stations and in stores. In 1997, Canada allowed independent operators to enter the ATM market and operate devices that did not belong to financial institutions.

• White ATMs have gained particular popularity in India, where their mass adoption began in 2012. They are installed mainly in rural areas, where it is unprofitable for banks to have their own ATMs. Instead, they pay a small commission to device owners on each transaction. For India, ATM availability is an important component of the economy — the country's population mainly relies on cash, and therefore access to it is critically important. There are several "white ATM" operators in India, some of which are linked to payment systems but do not have their own banking license.

• The global volume of the "white ATM" market reaches $26.5 billion. It is planned that by 2035 it will grow to $39.3 billion with an average annual increase of 4%. Gradually, the demand for them is shifting to the Asia-Pacific region, where high demand for cash remains, but at the same time banks cannot independently meet the demand for them.

• At the same time, a model with "brown ATMs" is also common in the world. These are devices controlled by a third-party operator, but it cooperates with only one customer bank. To the customer, such ATMs look like ordinary ones linked to a single credit institution. The only difference is that different operators can service the devices, and due to competition between them, it becomes more profitable for banks to increase their ATM network.