KeyCorp building its own ATM network

CLEVELAND, Ohio – While ATM National (CU Times, Nov. 28) has recently announced plans of creating a new national surcharge-free ATM network, KeyCorp has been slowly building its own ATM network since mid-2000. The network, now eight strong with such players as Third Federal Savings and Loan; Westfield Bank; Western Reserve Bank; Nationwide Federal Credit Union; CME Credit Union and First Federal Bank of Lakewood, offers partners access to 2,400 ATMs in 18 states. Acting only as an ATM distributor, KeyCorp charges participating financial institutions an access fee through its subsidiary Key Electronic Services. Not wanting to be a competitor against surcharge-free networks, KeyCorp views the partnerships as not only a moneymaking opportunity but also a way to expand services. With a goal to increase the number of partners to 40, plans are underway to aggressively promote the network to community banks and credit unions with less than $2 billion in assets.