Greek deposit outflows have accelerated before this weekend's elections, two bankers familiar with the situation said, on concern the nation may move closer to abandoning the euro.

Daily withdrawals have increased to the upper end of a 100 million-euro ($125 million) to 500 million-euro range this month, one banker said, asking not to be identified because the figures aren't public. A second banker said the drawdown may have exceeded 700 million euros yesterday. An official for the Bank of Greece, the Athens-based central bank, declined to comment.

Greek banks are under strain after individuals and companies withdrew about 72 billion euros since the nation triggered a region-wide sovereign-debt crisis in October 2009. While lenders have access to European Central Bank funding, an exit from the euro would cut them off. Depositors are seeking to preserve their cash on concern Greece may adopt a new currency that would immediately drop in value.