Cash - the out-of-favour mode of exchange that has underpinned commerce for millennia - is poised to make a comeback of sorts. Payments data collated by MWE Consulting indicates that the decade-long runoff in cash usage by Australian consumers and businesses began to reverse in June as more people pulled cash from ATMs and Eftpos-enabled merchants. In the 12 months to the end of June, the average number of cash withdrawals made via ATMs and Eftpos rose 1.27 per cent to 18.29 transactions per debit account compared with 18.06 in the year to the end of May.MWE managing director Mike Ebstein said the recovery in transaction volumes suggests that the value of cash being used in the economy was about to rise again after a sustained contraction."There has not been any growth in the value of ATM transactions since early 2012 but current indications are that the total value of ATM withdrawals will soon return to growth," Ebstein said."I think we will see some growth but it's likely to be fairly modest."Debit cardholders withdrew A$148.55 billion using debit cards at ATMs in June.That was only $80 million down on March when they withdraw $148.63 billion.However, the recovery in transaction activity is not a universal development.According to MWE, the recovery is being driven by networks operated by specialist ATM companies, rather than those owned by banks.Average annual cash withdrawals from bank-owned ATMs was flat in June, but rose at automatic tellers operated by monoliners such as Next Payments and NCR.As reported previously in Banking Day, Australia's major banks and several regionals are in talks to merge their ATM networks as part of a long-term strategy to minimise losses from operating separate fleets.The abolition of surcharging late last year has incentivised banks to rationalise their networks.The size of the national ATM network peaked in June 2016 when 32,191 machines were in operation.About 1250 machines have been withdrawn from the network since then.