What Link Scheme Ltd does

Link Scheme Ltd operates the UK's national ATM network, connecting 42,403 cash machines (at end of 2025) to 28 member banks and building societies, and processing approximately 1.27 billion transactions and £76.7 billion in cash withdrawals annually. The company was constituted in its current statutory form under the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 and is recognized as an inter-bank payment system under section 184 of the Banking Act 2009, with oversight from three UK regulators. LINK functions as a regulated, public-interest infrastructure entity headquartered in Leeds (Company Number 08774124), working in partnership with the Cash Action Group, Cash Access UK, the Post Office, and the Financial Conduct Authority to coordinate cash access policy and Banking Hubs in communities affected by bank branch closures.

The core product is the shared ATM network, supplemented by the LINK Cash Locator mobile app (available on Apple and Android with 100,000+ downloads), a web-based Cash Locator tool, the Financial Inclusion Programme (est. 2006), and the LINK Consumer Council. LINK also operates as the Co-ordinating Body for bank branch closures, conducting community cash access assessments, and produces regular research including the twice-yearly LINK Cash Index, cash acceptance reports, and the "Tapping into Trouble" report on payment resilience. The company is Cyber Essentials certified.

LINK generates revenue through network participation fees from its 28 member financial institutions, with consumer-facing services provided free at the point of use. The company is a private limited entity with a lean team of 11-50 employees and no disclosed external investment, operating as a membership-funded scheme rather than a venture-backed growth business. Ownership structure and specific financial terms of membership are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Link Scheme Ltd

Legal name

Link Scheme Holdings Ltd

Website

https://link.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Link Scheme Ltd operates the UK's national ATM network, connecting 42,403 cash machines to 28 member banks and building societies under the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013, delivering universal cash access and coordinating Banking Hubs in communities affected by branch closures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

ATM Network Services

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), National Commercial Banks (6021)

akta.pro primary industry

ATM / Cash Access Network Schemes (FSAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

ATM Deployers & Managed ATM Services (IAD/ISO) (FSAMAOAC), Branch & In-Person Banking (Teller/ATM Networks) (FSABAAAE)

Keywords

• ATM network services
• Cash access infrastructure
• Interbank payment systems
• Financial inclusion programmes
• Cash locator applications

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Network Participation Fees: LINK generates revenue from its 28 member financial institutions (banks and building societies) through fees for participation in the shared ATM network. Members pay for access to the network infrastructure that connects their customers to cash withdrawal services across the UK.
2. Scheme Operations: Operating as a regulated inter-bank payment system under the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013, LINK maintains the network and facilitates cash access in the public interest.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Link Scheme Ltd operates the UK's national LINK ATM network, linking over 40,000 cash machines to 28 member banks and building societies to deliver universal cash withdrawal services. It also runs the LINK Cash Locator App and website for consumers, performs cash access assessments following bank branch closures, and deploys banking hubs in affected communities. The company functions as the designated operator of the UK's cash access scheme under the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013.

Product overview

Link Scheme Ltd operates the UK's cash access and ATM network — a shared infrastructure connecting over 40,000 cash machines to every major bank and building society. The core product is the LINK ATM Network, supported by the LINK Cash Locator App (available on Apple and Android), Cash Access Assessment services, and Banking Hubs deployed in communities affected by branch closures. LINK also operates regulatory and advisory functions including the Financial Inclusion Programme (est. 2006), the LINK Consumer Council, and the Community Cash Advisory Panel, alongside a research programme producing the LINK Cash Index, Cash Acceptance Reports, and other thought leadership on cash usage trends.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cash Locator: A tool to help users find the best way to withdraw cash, including ATMs, Post Offices, and shops offering cash at the till.
• LINK Cash Index

Products and services

• LINK ATM Network Shared ATM network connecting 28 member banks and building societies to over 40,000 cash machines across the UK, enabling interbank cash withdrawal transactions for member institutions' customers.
• LINK Cash Locator App Free consumer-facing mobile app for iOS and Android that helps users find nearby LINK ATMs, Post Offices, and cash at the till locations, with saved favourites and proximity notifications.
• Cash Access Assessment Service that assesses local cash access needs in communities impacted by bank branch closures and recommends new cash services, such as banking hubs, where required.
• Banking Hubs Shared counter-service facilities deployed in communities where bank branches have closed, offering cash withdrawals, deposits, and basic banking services on behalf of multiple banks.
• Financial Inclusion Programme Programme focused on maintaining free-to-use ATM coverage in deprived, remote, and rural communities across the UK to prevent financial exclusion of cash-dependent populations.
• Co-ordinating Body for Bank Branch Closures Regulatory co-ordination service in which LINK analyses planned bank branch closures for community impact and recommends alternative cash services under the Cash Action Group framework.

Quantifiable outcome

• £76.7 billion withdrawn from LINK ATMs in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 28 UK Financial Institutions (Banks & Building Societies)coreOthersLINK's member network includes 28 major UK banks and building societies who participate in the shared ATM infrastructure. Members range from large high street banks to building societies, all connected through the LINK network to provide universal cash access.
• Post OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPost Office serves as a key partner for cash deposit and withdrawal services. LINK's Cash Locator includes Post Office locations alongside ATMs, and Post Office branches are integrated into the banking hub model for communities affected by branch closures.
• Cash Access UKcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCash Access UK operates banking hubs deployed following LINK's access-to-cash assessments. LINK works with Cash Access UK to ensure effective delivery of cash services in communities impacted by bank branch closures.
• ATM OperatorscoreTechnology or IntegrationVarious operators deploy and maintain ATMs within the LINK network, including independent ATM deployers and in-house bank ATMs, all connected through LINK's transaction processing infrastructure.
• RegulatorscoreOthersLINK's work is regulated in detail by three regulators, ensuring compliance with access-to-cash requirements and inter-bank payment system standards under the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013.
• Cash Action GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary agreement beginning 1 January 2022 where major high street banking firms notify LINK of planned branch closures. LINK assesses community impact and makes recommendations for new cash services.
• RSM (Landlord)minorOthersRSM Central Square is the landlord for LINK's Leeds office. The landlords are committed to development projects that build and improve communities.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pay.UK: Operates the UK's core retail payment schemes (BACS, Faster Payments, Cheques). Highly comparable as a UK-domestic payment infrastructure operator that connects financial institutions for interbank transactions, with a similar regulated utility model and member-funded economics.
• PayPoint: UK-based payment network providing cash bill payment, top-up, and parcel services through a network of retail agents. Comparable as a UK payment/cash access network with member-funded economics and consumer-facing locator functionality, though focused on bill payment rather than ATM withdrawals.
• NoteMachine: Independent UK ATM operator deploying free-to-use and charging ATMs within the LINK network. Directly comparable as a LINK member deploying ATMs across the UK, with similar geographic and consumer-facing focus.
• Cash Access UK: Operates UK banking hubs deployed following LINK's cash access assessments. Direct operational peer in the UK cash access ecosystem, working with LINK to deliver physical cash services in communities affected by branch closures.

Broad incumbents

• Visa: Global card network scheme. Comparable as an interbank payment network operator with a similar two-sided model connecting issuers and acquirers, though operating at vastly larger scale and focused on digital card payments rather than cash access.
• NCR Atleos: Spun off from NCR to focus on ATM hardware, software, and services globally. Comparable as a major ATM industry player providing infrastructure to the UK market, though operating as a vendor/operator rather than a network scheme.
• Euronet Worldwide: Global ATM operator and payment processor with significant UK presence. Comparable as an ATM deployer and transaction processor, though operating at much larger scale across multiple geographies and with a for-profit commercial model rather than LINK's regulated scheme structure.

Others

• Bank of England (CHAPS): Operates CHAPS, the UK's high-value interbank payment system. Comparable as a UK regulated payment system operator with statutory authority, though focused on wholesale real-time gross settlement rather than retail cash access.
• Mastercard Vocalink: Acquired by Mastercard, originally the UK-based payment processing infrastructure for BACS and LINK. Comparable as a payment scheme infrastructure provider with deep UK payment system integration, though now operating as part of a global card network.

Regional players

• Post Office Limited: UK-wide provider of banking and cash services including deposits and withdrawals. A direct partner in LINK's Cash Locator and banking hub model, comparable as a UK cash access distribution channel with a public-interest mandate, though structured as a government-owned entity rather than an independent scheme.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/link-atm-scheme
• Xx.com/link_atm_scheme

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Link Scheme Ltd