Luxembourg to Launch Shared ATM Network Test in 2026 — Withdrawals “Will Not Cost More”

Luxembourg’s banking sector is preparing a major change in how residents access cash. The Association of Banks and Bankers Luxembourg (ABBL) announced that a first test phase of a shared ATM network, known as the LuxConstellation project, will begin in the first quarter of 2026.

According to ABBL CEO Jerry Grbic, the initiative aims to improve national ATM coverage by adapting to new population and urban development patterns. “There’s no point in having three ATMs on the same street while new residential areas have none,” Grbic explained. The project also seeks to enhance safety, accessibility, and service quality.

The shared ATM network is being created through a collaboration between Spuerkeess, BIL, BGL BNP Paribas, Raiffeisen, POST, and ING, which announced their partnership in late 2023. These banks will jointly manage the new system through an operator named Bancomat, which will oversee the replacement of older machines and the rollout of a new unified logo for all ATMs.

The ABBL assured the public that this reform “will not cost more” for customers. “Banks will not be able to use this pooling as an excuse to raise fees,” said Claude Hirtzig, chairman of ABBL’s retail banking cluster. Each bank will continue to apply its own pricing policies independently.

In 2024, Luxembourg had 380 ATMs — down 8% from 415 in 2023 — reflecting a broader European trend toward reduced cash usage. Cash withdrawals fell by 7% over the same period, while 95% of payments in Luxembourg can now be made without cash, placing the country second in Europe for digital payment readiness.

However, despite the digital shift, cash remains important to many residents. A European Central Bank study found that 50% of Luxembourg’s population still wants to keep the option of paying in cash, though only 13% report difficulty accessing it. To address this, new ATMs are planned for more remote areas, reducing the average travel time to cash access points.

“Online transfers are up 11% in 2024, and mobile payments are growing fast,” noted Grbic. Still, Hirtzig emphasized that “banking will not become entirely digital — each institution will adapt based on its strategy and customer preferences.

Read More : Luxembourg: Withdrawing money from ATMs won't cost more - The bottom line

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