NCR Atleos Expands Cashzone ATM Network in Greece via DirectPay and iXchange
In a move that directly addresses Greece’s growing demand for accessible cash, NCR Atleos (NYSE: NATL) has announced a new partnership with financial service providers DirectPay and iXchange. The agreement brings Atleos’ Cashzone Network of self-service ATMs to both firms’ retail locations, significantly expanding convenient, secure, and reliable access to cash for Greek consumers.
While many developed economies lean into card-first or mobile-first payments, Greece bucks the trend. According to the European Central Bank’s latest SPACE study, Greek consumers are the most ATM-reliant in the Eurozone—more than 80% still cite cash as an essential part of their financial lives. At the same time, they report challenges in getting it.
Atleos sees that as an opportunity.
A Smarter, More Accessible Cash Infrastructure
DirectPay, with over 1,300 agent locations across Greece, offers a broad range of services—from MoneyGram money transfers and bill payments to cash-to-bank deposits. iXchange operates in similar territory, with foreign currency exchange and other financial offerings. Both will now leverage the Cashzone Network, a fleet of ATMs owned and operated by Atleos, to better serve their customer base.
“The Cashzone platform is known for uptime and security—two critical points of failure for traditional ATM services,” said Panos Spiridakos, Managing Director at DirectPay. “With Atleos, we’re not just installing ATMs—we’re creating operational efficiencies while driving new revenue opportunities.”
For iXchange, the value is in the day-to-day experience. “Reliable cash access means our staff can focus more on high-value tasks rather than queue management or troubleshooting ATM downtime,” said Giannis Kontis, iXchange’s Managing Director.
Why It Matters: Cash Still Reigns in Greece
Despite the global push toward digital payments, cash remains king in parts of Europe—especially in Greece. The ECB’s SPACE study indicates that Greeks are more likely to use ATMs than any other channel for accessing cash. But availability isn’t keeping pace with demand.
Enter Atleos. Formerly part of NCR Corporation before spinning off in 2023, Atleos is doubling down on self-service financial infrastructure. Its Cashzone Network, already prevalent in the UK and other European markets, is known for integrating seamlessly into high-footfall retail environments. That’s a big plus for DirectPay and iXchange, which cater to consumers who prioritize in-person financial interactions.
ATM-as-a-Service: More Than Just Cash
While this expansion centers on physical cash access, the implications go further. By embedding ATMs in retail environments—and outsourcing their operation to a platform provider like Atleos—financial services companies can offer a richer set of services without the traditional infrastructure headaches.
And for Atleos, Greece could be a launchpad for further ATM deployments in underserved markets. With ATMs often overlooked in discussions around fintech, this rollout is a reminder that not all innovation lives in the cloud. Sometimes, it lives behind a metal door with a PIN pad.
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