COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Huntington Bancshares has signed a letter of intent to join the MAC electronic banking network, MAC's parent, Electronic Payment Services Inc. of Wilmington, Del., a announced Wednesday.
Huntington said it will bring 280 automated teller machines into the network and will continue to participate in Money Station, an Ohio-based ATM system. Huntington's West Virginia affiliates are already members of MAC, which serves 1,450 financial institutions and 28 million cardholders in 16 states.
MAC has added 48 midwestern members this year, with 950 ATMs and 1.5 million cardholders.
Three of Huntington's major Ohio competitors - Banc One Corp. of Columbus and Cleveland-based Society Corp. and National City Corp. - own or intend to take equity positions in MAC. The other equity partners are CoreStates Financial Corp., Philadelphia, and PNC Bank Corp., Pittsburgh. PNC's hometown rival, Mellon Bank Corp., is becoming an owner.
