Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 1: With digital payments gaining momentum across the country, the number of automated teller machines (ATMs) declined during the financial year 2024–25, according to a report released by the Reserve Bank of India on Monday.

The RBI’s report on Trends and Progress of Banking in India 2025 noted that the expansion of public sector bank networks led to a two per cent increase in the number of bank branches during the year, even as reliance on ATMs reduced.

As on March 31, 2025, the total number of ATMs in the country stood at 2,51,057, down from 2,53,417 in the previous year. The decline has been attributed largely to strategic changes adopted by private sector banks.

The ATM network of private sector banks fell from 79,884 to 77,117 during the year, while public sector banks also saw a marginal reduction, with numbers declining from 1,34,694 to 1,33,544. The report stated that the withdrawal of off-site ATMs by both private and public sector banks contributed to this drop.

The report observed that increased digitisation of payments has reduced the need for customers to conduct transactions through ATMs.

In contrast, independently operated white-label ATMs increased from 34,602 in the previous year to 36,216, indicating a shift in the structure of ATM deployment.

Despite the growth of digital alternatives, banks continued to expand their physical presence. As of March 31, the total number of bank branches in the country rose to about 1.64 lac, reflecting a growth of 2.8 per cent during the financial year, the report added.