ATM Usage Grows in Ethiopia Despite Rise of Digital Payments

Despite the rapid growth of mobile money and digital transfers in Ethiopia, statistics from the National Bank of Ethiopia and EthSwitch show that ATM usage is still increasing. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the number of ATMs nationwide rose from 10,551 to 13,313, while transaction volume increased by 18.6 percent.

While ATM use persists, digital person-to-person transfers are growing at a significantly faster rate. EthSwitch processed 1.06 trillion birr in digital transfers during the last financial year, more than five times the value of its processed ATM transactions. Banking sector observers note that while customers are increasingly opting for digital solutions over physical cards, the demand for physical cash access remains resilient.