Banking in Ecuador

Services, ATMs & opening hours

Banking in Ecuador

Banking services in Ecuador are pretty up to date and you’ll find ATMs everywhere, especially in larger cities, though watch out for card fraud.

Most banks only open from 9 AM until 1 or 1:30 PM Monday to Friday and visits can be time-consuming and bureaucratic - all the more reason to ensure your bank offers an internet based service so that you can easily manage your account. Be prepared for long queues and slow service.

If you’re in Quito or Guayaquil, you won’t have to hunt around long for an ATM, though some will occasionally be out of order. The same goes for small cities and large towns like Cuenca, Baños and Otavalo, though you’ll find the number rapidly diminishes as you get into more remote parts of the country. ATMs will require you to input a four digit pin and do not normally recognise longer ones. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted and a smaller range of machines take American Express or Diners Club. You won’t usually be able to withdraw more than $200 in one day

Card skimming, card jamming and other types of ATM fraud are not uncommon so it may be a good idea to stick to indoor ATMs with security staff or somebody you can speak to.  

Further reading

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