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The history of the Swedish ATM: Sparfrämjandet and Metior

På svenska

Author

Summary, in English

In this paper we describe the first decades of the history of the Swedish ATM (Automated teller machine). Sweden was one of the pioneers in using ATMs, starting with cash dispensers or cash machines in 1967. The first machine was made operational and shown to the press on July 6, 1967, in Uppsala at Upsala Sparbank, only one week after the first cash machine in the world was made operational in the UK. The Swedish machine was manufactured by the Malmö based company Metior. This paper seeks to document the origins and early development of cash machines by Swedish savings banks, employing oral as well as archival sources. Interestingly, we find that the key actor behind the ATM technology was not the saving banks’ computer company Spadab, but Sparfrämjandet, a company most known for its campaigns to encourage thrift among children.

Publishing year

2010

Language

English

Document type

Working paper

Topic

  • Economic History

Keywords

  • savings banks
  • technological change
  • cash dispensers
  • automated teller machines (ATM)
  • Sweden

Status

Unpublished