Retailers—ranging from taverns and cash-and-carry wholesalers to fuel forecourts and supermarkets—drive significant benefit from offering their customers access to ATMs.  But the question that many retailers are asking is which ATM format is the best for their business’s customer profile and cash management needs. 

Today’s options aren’t limited to the through-the-wall or in-store ATM options from traditional banks. Solutions such as ATM recyclers offer retailers new ways to streamline cash management, reduce manual work, and slash cash costs such as cash-in-transit (CIT) collections and shrinkage. 

That’s the word from Patience Rolls, Executive Head: ATMs at, EasyPay Cash, part of Lesaka Technologies, the JSE-listed fintech that owns the Connect Group. She says that ATMs are a key part of the retail value proposition because cash continues to play such a central role in South Africa’s economy for consumers across all income groups.   

“ATMs form a vital component of many retailers’ customer offering because they offer opportunities for retailers to earn rebates from each successful card withdrawal as well as is a mechanism for managing and recycling cash received from customers,” says Rolls. “Retailers that offer ATMs make it easy for customers to use cash if that’s how they prefer to pay.”

According to the South African Reserve Bank’s Payments Study Report, nearly all consumers (98%) in its Diary of Consumer Payment Choice (DCPC) survey used cash to pay in a three-month period. At 55%, automated teller machines (ATMs) remain the dominant point to access cash, according to the study. 

Yet, at the same time, many banks are downsizing their ATM networks, with the number of ATMs in South Africa falling from some 33,000 in 2019 to just under 29,000 in 2024. In this context, the role of independently operated ATMs at retail sites is growing in importance, especially in underserved remote and rural areas, says Rolls. 

Boosting customer loyalty and footfall

“Customers prefer to withdraw cash at merchants rather than at standalone ATMs because they can shop or buy airtime at the same time—and in a secure and convenient environment,” she adds. “Retailers with ATMs thus benefit from attracting more footfall, generating more in-store sales, and building higher levels of customer loyalty.” 

Mark Templemore-Walters, Operations Director at Cash Connect, part of the fintech Connect Group, says that the rise of independent ATM operators such as EasyPay Cash has spurred innovation in South Africa’s ATM market. Today, retailers can choose from a diverse set of ATM offerings, depending on their operating environment. 

There are, for example, self-loading ATM options that reduce the manual burden of cash management for taverns and small convenience stores. Wholesalers or cash-and-carry businesses, meanwhile, could choose ATMs that allow them to handle larger volumes of cash efficiently and with better oversight, says Templemore-Walters.

One of the most important innovations is the ATM recycler, which helps retailers enhance security and improve cash management at the same time. An ATM Recycler is an all-in-one offering that serves as a robust cash vault, recycler and dispenser. The EasyPay Cash ATM Recycler is built to the SABS Cat 4 Standard to deflectcriminals to softer and more vulnerable sites. 

Rolls says the benefits of such an ATM Recycler solution include: 

• Minimising the need for CIT visits: Cash is recycled from the tills to the ATM and back to the tills—without needing to be deposited at a bank. 

• Process automation: By automating cash handling, recyclers reduce the risk of shrinkage or errors. The machines can validate cash, sort out unfit notes, and reduce the need for manual intervention.

• Reduced risk: Once a retailer deposits cash into the smart retail ATM, EasyPay Cash guarantees the funds in their bank account – same day*, with an immediate risk transfer to streamline daily cash handling.

• Optimised cash flow: Recyclers provide real-time visibility of cash transactions, allowing retailers to track cash reserves and improve liquidity management.

• Reduced environmental footprint: Fewer CIT trips and plastic stop-loss bags means lower carbon emissions.

• Bank independent: These ATM recyclers are bank-agnostic, meaning they can integrate with any financial institution. Retailers get control over their cash and reduce the complexity of dealing with multiple vendors or systems.

Rolls says: “Choosing the right ATM offering for your store will not only improve convenience and in-store experience for the customer. It can also help retailers to vastly improve operational efficiency and in-store security. Automated cash management solutions like smart ATM recyclers and intelligent cash vaults give merchants visibility over their cash flows, streamline reconciliation processes, and improve financial planning.”