Define it and how to use it

• Cardless ATMs allow you to use an ATM without inserting a debit card.
• You can use your bank’s mobile application or use a contactless card at an ATM without a card.
• Cardless ATMs are safe to use and include verifications to access your bank account.

Forgot your debit card at home and still need to visit an ATM to withdraw money? Cardless ATMs allow you to make transactions without a debit card.

Here’s everything you need to know about cardless ATMs, how they work, and the financial institutions that currently offer them.

How does an ATM work without a card

At a cardless ATM, you may be able to use a contactless card or

Mobile banking

Instead of entering a regular debit card to access your account.

“The ATM itself is the same as the ATM, so next time you can turn around and put your card in if you want to. The only difference is how you start your transaction,” says Ken Justice, Senior Vice President and CEO of ATM at BNC Bank. .

Cardless ATMs still have a verification process and are safe to use. You will use either a PIN, a code, or a combination of both.

“It’s a convenient feature that we think is actually safer from the point of view that you’re avoiding any chance of getting dumped,” Justice adds.

Just be sure to watch out for card theft, which can happen at an ATM or a transaction at the point of sale. Card scraping is when someone tries to steal your personal information when you swipe or insert your card into the machine.

When performing a cardless transaction, you may avoid card skimming because you are using the bank’s mobile application or a contactless card.

Some banks, such as PNC Bank, will also send an email every time an OTP is issued. This way, you can quickly contact a financial institution if it is not you who is making the transaction.

What financial institutions have ATMs without a card?

Cathy Snyder, Senior Vice President, Engage Business Line, Co-op Solutions, notes that financial institutions have different ATM manufacturers, so some banks have cardless ATMs while others still support these types of transactions.

“Typically, what we see is that the really big banks that have launched this have dedicated software running on the ATM that makes this available to their members,” Snyder explains.

The following large banks now have cardless ATMs in their network:

Financial institutions that are part of the Cooperative Shared ATM network or allow fee-free withdrawals from MasterCard ATMs can also access cardless ATMs.

To find out if an ATM allows cardless transactions, you can look up the contactless tap icon on the ATM.

How to use an ATM without a card

You can use a contactless card, the bank’s mobile app, or a regular debit card at a cardless ATM.

Here’s what you need to do at an ATM, depending on the type of access you use.

Use the debit card in your mobile wallet

At some major banks like Chase and Wells Fargo, you can open your contactless card on the mobile wallet with your phone and tap your phone against the contactless payment code on the ATM.

Next, you will enter the PIN to verify your identity. After your PIN is approved, you can use the ATM.

Use a mobile banking app

Some cardless ATMs, such as Mastercard, allow you to use a mobile banking app. You will log in to your mobile banking application and find the tab that allows you to perform ATM transactions.

On the ATM screen, you will select the Cardless ATM option. Depending on where you are with the bank, you will either have to scan the QR code that will appear on the ATM, or you will need to use a temporary one-time code that you will receive through your mobile application.

Once your code is approved, and your identity verified, you can make your ATM transaction.

Use a discount card

You can also use a regular debit card or a contactless debit card. For regular debit cards, you will insert the card. With a contactless debit card, you can tap on it against the bank’s contactless payment code. You will enter your PIN and start using the ATM.