Pioneered in Poland, the banking machine innovation allows European citizens to control both their personal funds and public money
Warsaw, 5.05.2025 — As Europe faces an urgent call for greater inclusion, democratic renewal, and social cohesion, Mastercard, in partnership with the ATM provider ITCARD, is answering with a powerful innovation: reimagining the ATM as a civic tool for participatory budget.
This new platform allows people not just to withdraw private funds—it also gives them access to public money and lets them help decide how it will be used. The program kicked off with a pilot in the Polish city of Elk and this month began its expansion to other cities. It will soon to be available in Łomża and discussions are under way with two of the five largest cities in Poland. When citizens access ATMs in those cities with their bank card, during local voting periods, they are now given the option to cast their vote on where public funding should go.
“We are a technology company and we believe that technology can help make the world more and more inclusive,” said Jerzy Holub, VP Marketing & Communications, Mastercard Warsaw. “At a moment when Europe is rethinking the future of its democracies, we’re rethinking what financial infrastructure can do. This platform makes the ATM a democratic interface—connecting people to the heart of public decision-making.The Public Money ATM’s”
From Cashpoint to Civic Point: Reinventing Public Engagement
Today European citizens are calling for more transparency, involvement, and trust in public life. Younger generations in particular are seeking new ways to engage in society to drive positive change. This initiative offers a new form of engagement—simple, accessible, and scalable—by embedding democratic participation in a tool they already use: the ATM. By integrating civic access into daily financial routines, Mastercard is lowering the barrier to participation and turning ATMs into micro-moments of democracy.
A European Innovation with Global Potential
Mastercard has created a non-partisan, inclusive solution that supports key societal priorities: empowering citizens, increasing transparency, and reconnecting people with public life. During the Elk pilot, residents were able to vote at Planet Cash ATMs on whether public funds should go to a cleaner air initiative, a children’s dream room, bolstering ambulance resources or a dog park.
Prior to the introduction of the “Public Money ATMs,” voting for public funds in Elk was done through traditional methods. During the pilot, 28% of all votes were cast through the ATMs. 20.45% of people who went to ATMs just to withdraw cash also decided to participate in the vote.
The results proved that the concept works, making way for the expansion throughout Poland.
Financial Inclusion – at Scale
The program embodies Mastercard’s purpose of financial inclusion, and the brand is now inviting local and regional governments and innovation partners to scale the platform across Europe and globally. As trust in political institutions declines, people increasingly look to trusted brands to play a constructive role in society. With this initiative Mastercard aims to answer that call by turning financial infrastructure into civic infrastructure.
Project video: https://youtu.be/JzXjDy2mGYU
