LINK is the operator of the UK cash machine (ATM) network, connecting almost every cash machine – free and charging – in the UK and is the busiest ATM transaction switch in the world. The LINK ATM Scheme brings together the banks, building societies and other institutions that issue cards and the operators of the over 61,000 UK ATMs that make up that Network. In the past five years the number of LINK cash machines has grown from 36,000 to over 61,000 today and of these, over 35,000 are free to use, an all-time high. LINK deals with up to 226m transactions per month and at its busiest, it processes over 1 million transactions an hour. LINK has around 50 members and there are over 130 million LINK cards in circulation from around 38 issuers. The LINK ATM Scheme sets the rules for new and existing members and sets the standards for signage, encryption, messaging, inter-change and fraud detection. LINK does not install or operate machines on its own behalf and decisions as to where to install machines or whether to install a free or charging machine are down to individual LINK members. |
