Hungary Regulates Minimum Currency Infrastructure Requirements

Hungary is the latest country to intervene in the cash cycle to ensure ongoing access to cash for its citizens in light of declining usage, with a new regulation from Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) governing minimum requirements for the number of ATMs operated by commercial banks.

Number of ATMs operated by commercial banks and number of branches with cash offices in Hungary, 2018-2022 (2022 preliminary data). (Source: MNB).

The amendment of ‘MNB Decree on the processing and distribution of banknotes, and on technical tasks relating to the protection of banknotes against counterfeiting (Banknote Decree)’ was issued in January. It sets out the number of ATMs to be operated primarily on the basis of the number of payment cards with cash functionality issued by each commercial bank and credit institution. The number of cards issued is defined as the total number of debit cards plus credit cards issued less a weight of 0.5.