Central Pacific Bank has announced that it is launching new upgrades for all of its 55 ATMs throughout Hawaii. The new upgrades will offer Filipino language options in both Tagalog and Ilocano and will also enable users to use a new card tap feature.

The ATMs will be the first in the state to offer the Filipino language as an option. To celebrate the launch, the bank held an event at the CPB Waipahu Branch on August 2, which gave customers the chance to spin a wheel with a chance to win prizes and gift cards.

Less than 10% of the world’s money exists in physical form, according to estimates. The majority is kept in bank accounts, spent using cards and transfers, or spent directly online with the global e-commerce market being worth trillions of dollars a year. Online gaming also attracts big money, while new online sports betting sites and casinos launch daily (source: https://www.valuewalk.com/gambling/online-casinos/new/). What’s more, many of these new sites, according to crypto writer Kane Pepi, not only enable but encourage the use of cryptocurrency, yet another cash alternative.

However, away from crypto gambling, for many people, cash remains king. In particular, it is useful for smaller transactions as well as for paying for local services. In 2022, the European Central Bank estimated that cash was still used in 59% of physical transactions. 58% of Americans say they use cash for all or some of their purchases.

For the 367,000 Hawaiians with Filipino ancestry, the process of accessing their cash is getting a little easier. The Central Pacific Bank (CPB), one of the five largest banks in the state, has launched upgraded Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) which are the first ATMs in the country to offer Filipino language options as well as its existing range.

Jason Lazzerini, Chief Digital Officer and Executive Vice President of CPB said that the new option is in keeping with the bank’s goal of serving all of Hawaii’s residents, which now includes the nearly 400,000 Filipino Hawaiians.

The introduction of the Filipino language is only one of the upgrades that the new ATMs include. Image sharpness and clarity have been increased, making the screens more clearly visible, and including new tile windows for better navigation. Receipts have been updated to include the bank name and a local phone number. And, the new machines allow users to tap their card, rather than having to insert it and enter a PIN, which will make it easier for those with limited mobility that might otherwise struggle to press the buttons. CPB already boasts the most denominations of any bank ATM, offering its users $5, $20, $50, and $100 bills at some of its machines.

The new ATMs were officially unveiled on August 2, 2024, and replaced all of CPB’s 55 existing automatic tellers. The launch was celebrated with a prize game open to customers at the Waipahu Branch with prizes including gift cards for Elena’s and Max’s of Manila.