Geldmaat, the joint ATM network of major Dutch banks including ING, ABN AMRO and Rabobank, has launched a pilot program in Den Helder to dispense 100-euro banknotes from select cash machines.
The initiative, which began this week, marks the first time in the Netherlands that automated teller machines are offering 100-euro notes for withdrawal. The pilot is being conducted at a Geldmaat location inside a Primera store in Den Helder, a maritime city in North Holland.
According to local reports, the machine in question is a flappentap — a type of cash dispenser — that has been configured to issue 100-euro bills upon request. The test is being carried out at the request of De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) and the European Central Bank (ECB), which are evaluating public demand for higher denomination euro notes amid persistent inflation.
Geldmaat confirmed that the pilot allows customers to withdraw 100-euro notes, with plans to potentially expand the service to other locations if the trial proves successful. The machines involved also retain standard functions such as balance inquiries, contactless payments, and deposits of both bills and coins.
Users can deposit up to 200 bills or 900 coins in a single transaction at compatible Geldmaat units, including denominations of 100, 200 and 500 euros where supported.
The trial comes as inflation continues to influence cash usage patterns across the eurozone, prompting renewed discussion about the utility of larger banknotes for everyday transactions. While the European Central Bank has not indicated plans to reintroduce the 500-euro note, smaller high-value denominations like the 100-euro bill are seeing renewed practical interest.
Geldmaat has not announced a timeline for expanding the pilot beyond Den Helder, but said it will monitor usage and feedback closely during the test phase.
