Until Tuvalu introduced its first ATMs in April 2025, workers on Funafuti had to queue at the National Bank of Tuvalu on payday to withdraw their salaries in cash. Reporting from Vaiaku documented long lines and customers losing access after the bank closed at 2 p.m. In a country where groceries, hotels and everyday services were still paid for almost entirely in cash, the bank queue was more than a financial formality. It was the entrance to the rest of household life. The arrival of ATMs therefore changed not only banking technology, but also the amount of payday time people had to surrender to a line.