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first_img Albuquerque has banned Bitcoin ATMs, requiring operators to remove them within 45 days

The city council of Albuquerque, New Mexico, passed an ordinance on Wednesday prohibiting the operation of cryptocurrency ATMs (cryptocurrency vending machines) within the city limits, while also banning cashier-assisted virtual currency transactions. The city government will notify known operators and retailers hosting the machines, requiring them to remove the relevant equipment within 45 days.The ordinance was jointly initiated by District 1 Councilor Stephanie Telles and District 7 Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn. Telles stated that 90% of cryptocurrency ATM transactions in Albuquerque are related to fraud, claiming that these machines are primarily exploited by scammers, organized crime, and human traffickers due to the instant, anonymous, and irreversible nature of transactions. Fiebelkorn remarked that we cannot wait for federal regulators to resolve the crisis. The city council emphasized that residents can still freely hold, mine, and transfer cryptocurrencies through online exchanges and personal wallets.In terms of background, Indiana banned such machines statewide in March, Tennessee in July, and Minnesota in August; Delaware has advanced related legislation, New Jersey is considering it, and Texas is also brewing a ban. One of North America's largest operators, Bitcoin Depot, filed for bankruptcy protection in May and removed about 9,700 machines. According to data from the FBI, nearly 11,000 complaints of vending machine fraud were received in 2024, involving amounts exceeding $246 million.

first_img Bitcoin Bancorp acquired the bankrupt Bitcoin Depot for $620,000, including 2,547 ATMs

According to CoinDesk, after the bankruptcy of Bitcoin ATM operator Bitcoin Depot, about a quarter of its more than 9,200 self-service terminals have been sold. The publicly traded digital asset infrastructure company Bitcoin Bancorp (BCBC) won 2,547 of these ATMs for $620,750 and additionally paid $110,500 to acquire related site agreements, intellectual property, trademarks, patents, and the BitcoinDepot.com domain name.Bitcoin Depot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May of this year, after its first-quarter revenue fell 49% year-over-year, with profits turning from a $12.2 million gain to a $9.5 million loss. In its last complete financial report before bankruptcy (fourth quarter of 2025), the company valued all properties and equipment (of which 98% were self-service terminals) at over $26 million.Bitcoin Bancorp, headquartered in Las Vegas and formerly known as Bullet Blockchain, trades at $0.04 on the OTC Markets, with a market capitalization of about $18.5 million, far below Bitcoin Depot's peak of about $400 million when it was listed on Nasdaq. The company stated that the remaining deliveries are expected to be completed in the next quarter. Data shows that losses from crypto ATM scams reached $389 million in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 58%. The UK's FCA has announced that crypto ATMs are illegal, and regulators in countries such as Australia and Canada have also intensified their crackdowns.

In Texas, cryptocurrency ATM scam losses reached $56.8 million in 2025, and lawmakers are considering over-regulatory measures

The FBI submitted data disclosure to the legislative committee, revealing that losses related to cryptocurrency kiosks in Texas amounted to $56.8 million in 2025, involving 1,179 complaints, making it the highest loss among all states in the U.S. The total number of related complaints nationwide was 13,460, with reported losses increasing by 58% year-on-year to $389 million. Cryptocurrency kiosks can accept cash and exchange it for cryptocurrency, typically set up at gas stations and convenience stores.Statistics from the Texas Tribune show that there are about 4,000 such devices in Texas, where scammers induce victims to withdraw money from their bank accounts and deposit it into the machines. Jesse Saucillo, Deputy Commissioner of the Texas Department of Banking, stated that once funds are transferred out, recovering them is nearly impossible, as the money typically flows into unhosted wallets and then into mixers. He added that AI-generated police and state agency impersonation content makes phone inducements more deceptive.Data from AARP indicates that since 2023, approximately 30 states in the U.S. have enacted laws related to cryptocurrency kiosks. Indiana fully banned such devices in March, followed by Tennessee and Minnesota. Texas House Committee Chairman Rep. Cole Hefner stated that the state will consider measures beyond regulatory scope.

Multiple states in the U.S. are advancing bans on cryptocurrency ATMs, driven by fraud and significant losses prompting tighter regulations

The states of Delaware and New Jersey are advancing legislation to comprehensively ban the installation and operation of Crypto ATM devices, citing that these devices are widely used for fraudulent activities. The Delaware House Economic Committee has passed a related bill that aims to prohibit the possession, installation, or operation of Crypto ATMs, requiring existing devices to be removed within 90 days after the bill takes effect; violations could result in fines of up to $10,000 and possible recovery of costs or inclusion in a consumer protection fund.Meanwhile, the New Jersey Senate Commerce Committee has also unanimously passed a similar bill, prohibiting business activities related to Crypto ATMs, with penalties for violations reaching up to $20,000. According to data from the FBI in May, complaints involving Crypto ATMs approached 13,500 in 2025, resulting in losses exceeding $388 million, a significant increase from the previous year, with more than half of the victims aged 50 and above. Currently, several states, including Indiana, Tennessee, and Minnesota, have fully banned Crypto ATMs, and some states and local governments have also imposed limits on transaction amounts.Under regulatory pressure, Crypto ATM operators are facing ongoing impacts, with industry leader Bitcoin Depot having previously filed for bankruptcy due to a deteriorating operating environment. Meanwhile, operators emphasize that they have set up risk warnings and transaction limits and deny direct responsibility for third-party fraud.
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