Argentina faces rising financial exclusion as cash circulation drops

Argentina is experiencing a growing trend of financial exclusion driven by a significant reduction in physical cash and limited digital connectivity. According to a report by the Denaria Platform, the real circulation of banknotes in the hands of the public has contracted by 58% since January 2017, adjusted for inflation.

Approximately 1.2 million Argentines live more than 10 kilometers away from an ATM, payment terminal, or bank branch. Furthermore, 1,010 localities have been identified as “cash deserts,” where residents must travel 15 kilometers or more to access physical money. The report notes that the cost of travel itself becomes a barrier to accessing funds.

A critical issue is the “double exclusion” affecting 980 localities and 562,690 inhabitants, where residents lack both access to physical cash and reliable internet services. In some of these areas, less than half of households are connected to the internet, leaving entire communities isolated from both traditional and digital financial systems. The number of financial service access points has also seen a notable decline, dropping from over 51,000 in late 2022 to approximately 42,380 by December 2025.