Through the Wall ATM for High-Volume Retail
Banks have been pulling ATMs out of shopping strips and regional towns. A Dash Argo FT gives your location 24-hour cash access from the outside wall — no branch required.
Keep cash local
Customers still want cash, and banks are removing branches and ATMs. Between June 2020 and June 2025, bank-owned ATMs across Australia fell by almost half — from 9,621 to 5,143. Bank branches fell by a third over the same period. Outside the major cities, the decline has been sharper in per-capita terms. Dash fills that gap.
A through-the-wall ATM makes your retail location the place people come to for cash. Cash also helps customers and businesses avoid card fees. Since 1 October 2026, businesses can no longer add a surcharge to card payments — the cost now sits with the business. Cash payments carry no card fees, for the customer or the business (Reserve Bank of Australia).
Bank ATMs gone in five years (9,621 → 5,143). Source: APRA, June 2025.
Of Australians use cash in a typical week. Source: RBA 2025 Consumer Payments Survey.
Australians would face hardship if cash became hard to access. Source: RBA 2025 Consumer Payments Survey.
Who it suits
The Argo FT is an external, through-the-wall ATM built for locations where a high volume of customers need cash access around the clock.
Shopping strips and centres
High foot traffic, long trading hours, customers who need cash before or after other purchases.
Regional and rural towns
Communities where a bank branch or ATM has closed and residents have no other nearby cash source.
Petrol stations and convenience
24-hour sites that already draw foot traffic and want to add cash services from an external wall.
Replacing a bank ATM
If a bank has removed its ATM from your site or nearby, the Argo FT is a direct replacement option for external wall installation.
The Argo FT external ATM
The Argo FT is built to sit in your external wall and serve customers from the footpath, day and night. It is an outdoor ATM designed for high-volume retail — not a converted indoor machine.
- Large 15-inch touchscreen — easy to read in daylight or at night.
- Contactless and tap transactions — customers can use their card or device without inserting.
- Dip-style EMV or motorised anti-skim card reader — two reader options to suit your security requirements.
- Bill present and retract — notes are presented to the customer and retracted if not collected. This reduces lost-cash incidents and protects both the customer and the operator.
- Locked-down embedded platform — no Windows upgrade cycle. Only digitally signed software runs on the machine. Security patches arrive with regular software updates.
Dash ATMs connect over any TCP/IP link: ADSL, NBN, 4G, Starlink or WiFi.
Why bill present and retract matters
Most older ATMs dispense notes into a tray and leave them there. If a customer walks away before collecting, the cash is gone.
Better customer experience
The machine holds the notes until the customer takes them. There is no rush. Customers are less likely to leave empty-handed.
Fewer disputes and refund requests
Uncollected notes are retracted and logged. That audit trail makes it straightforward to resolve any customer dispute.
Reduced loss on outdoor sites
On a through-the-wall ATM, there is no staff member nearby to spot uncollected cash. Retract functionality is an important safeguard on external machines.
Argo FT specifications
Key features confirmed from the approved product summary. Full technical specifications are available on request.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Form factor | External, through-the-wall (outdoor ATM) |
| Screen | 15-inch touchscreen |
| Card reader | Dip-style EMV or motorised anti-skim card reader (options available) |
| Contactless / tap | Yes |
| Cash dispense | Bill present and retract |
| Operating platform | Locked-down embedded OS — no Windows upgrade cycle |
| Security | EMV, PCI and TLS 1.2 compliant; countermeasures against skimming, malware, black box and jackpotting attacks |
| Communications | ADSL, NBN, 4G, Starlink or WiFi (TCP/IP) |
| Monitoring | Real-time fault alerts and remote monitoring via Dash |
| Screen size, cassette count, bill capacity |
How installation works
Dash manages the end-to-end process. You do not need to coordinate suppliers or manage the hardware yourself.
Once live, Dash handles cash logistics and forecasting, real-time fault monitoring, transaction reconciliation and settlement reporting, and national field service and parts repair. You can check ATM status, place cash orders and view reports through the Dash web portal at portal.dashatm.com.au.
A replacement where a bank has removed its ATM
Between June 2020 and June 2025, bank branches outside the major cities fell from 1,867 to 1,459 — a 22 per cent decline (APRA ADI Points of Presence Statistics, June 2025). When a bank ATM disappears from a location, the community’s cash access does not have to disappear with it.
The Argo FT is sized and specified to replace an existing bank ATM in a through-the-wall opening. Talk to us about your site and we can advise whether it is a fit.
Placement models
Three ways to work with Dash, depending on how much involvement you want.
Buy or Lease
Low-cost tiered pricing. You control the ATM and set your own transaction fees. Best for operators who want full ownership of the asset and revenue.
Partnership
A fully managed solution. Dash stocks and services the ATM; revenue is shared. Suited to sites that want an ATM without the operational overhead.
Community ATM
Dash provides the equipment and any profits are reinvested. Designed for community locations — regional towns, small shopping strips — where cash access is the priority.
The right model depends on your site, volume and how much you want to be involved. Talk to us and we can walk you through the options.
Why Dash
Over 15 years in payments
Dash has over 15 years of experience in the payments industry and nearly 20 years’ field experience managing large ATM networks.
$2 billion dispensed
More than $2 billion in cash dispensed through Dash-managed ATMs nationally.
Around 600 ATMs managed
A national fleet with real-time monitoring, automated fault alerts and local field service teams.
Full-service management
Installation, cash logistics, reconciliation, fault monitoring and field service. Manage your ATM from the Dash web portal.
Also from Dash
If the Argo FT is not the right fit, these alternatives may suit your venue.
Frequently asked questions
What is a through-the-wall ATM?
A through-the-wall ATM — also called an external ATM or outdoor ATM — is mounted directly into an exterior wall of a building. Customers access it from the footpath or car park without needing to enter the premises. The Argo FT is built specifically for this form factor.
What does bill present and retract mean?
Bill present and retract means the machine presents the notes to the customer and waits for them to be taken. If the customer does not collect the cash within a set time, the notes are pulled back into the machine rather than left in the tray. This reduces lost-cash incidents and makes it easier to resolve disputes.
What card reader options are available?
The Argo FT is available with a dip-style EMV card reader or a motorised anti-skim card reader. Both meet EMV and PCI compliance standards. The motorised anti-skim reader adds an additional layer of protection against card skimming devices.
Does the Argo FT support tap and contactless?
Yes. The Argo FT supports contactless and tap transactions, so customers can use their card or mobile device without inserting.
How does the Argo FT connect to the network?
Dash ATMs connect over any TCP/IP link: ADSL, NBN, 4G, Starlink or WiFi. The right connection type depends on what is available at your site. Dash can advise during the site assessment.
Can the Argo FT replace a bank ATM that has been removed?
Yes. The Argo FT is a replacement option where a bank has removed its through-the-wall ATM. Whether it fits your existing opening depends on the site. Talk to Dash and we can assess your location.
What are the placement model options?
Dash offers three models: Buy or Lease (you control the ATM and set your own fees, with low-cost tiered pricing); Partnership (a managed solution with revenue share); and Community ATM (Dash provides the equipment and profits are reinvested). The right model depends on your site and how involved you want to be.
Does Dash handle servicing and cash logistics?
Yes. Dash manages installation and maintenance, cash logistics and forecasting, real-time fault alerts, transaction reconciliation and settlement reporting, and national field service and parts repair. Operators can monitor their ATM and place cash orders through the Dash web portal.
Ready to make some change?
Talk to us about servicing your location. We will assess your site and recommend the best model for your situation.