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Albuquerque, New Mexico, passed Ordinance O-26-49, the "Virtual Currency Ordinance," on September 10, prohibiting the operation, hosting, or facilitation of cryptocurrency ATM and over-the-counter cryptocurrency transaction services within city limits. City Councilor Stephanie W. Telles stated that approximately 90% of such local transactions are related to fraud.The ordinance requires relevant operators to remove all affected devices within 45 days of the effective date, with violating individuals and entities facing cumulative fines. City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn stated that the ban aims to remove physical infrastructure that facilitates fraudulent activities.The ban does not affect residents' ability to hold, own, mine, and transfer digital assets through other means. The number of cryptocurrency ATMs in the United States has dropped from 38,708 to 27,945, following Bitcoin Depot's cessation of operations. (Bitcoin.com News)
Odaily News: The Albuquerque City Council in New Mexico, USA, has passed an ordinance prohibiting the use of cryptocurrency ATMs and counter-assisted virtual currency transactions within city limits. The city government will notify known operators and retailers hosting the devices, and the relevant equipment must be removed within 45 days.Albuquerque City Councilor Stephanie Telles stated that 90% of cryptocurrency ATM transactions in the city are related to scams, and noted that high fees discourage legitimate users from using such devices. Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn pointed out that these transactions are instant, anonymous, and irreversible, characteristics that could be exploited by scam groups, organized crime, and human traffickers.The City Council stated that residents can still hold, mine, and transfer cryptocurrencies through online trading platforms and personal wallets. Indiana, Tennessee, and Minnesota have already banned such devices statewide; North America's former largest operator, Bitcoin Depot, filed for bankruptcy in May and took approximately 9,700 devices offline. (Decrypt)
According to Cointelegraph, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a lawsuit against GPD Holdings—the parent company of cryptocurrency ATM operator CoinFlip—accusing it of “intentionally facilitating fraudulent transactions and profiting from them,” with victims including elderly residents and veterans in the state. The lawsuit stems from a targeted investigation launched by Missouri in December 2025 into multiple crypto ATM companies, which alleged “deceptive fee structures” and fraudulent conduct. The Attorney General’s Office is asking the court to rule that CoinFlip violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, prohibit it from continuing operations in the state, impose a $1,000 fine for each violation over the past five years (capped at $1.826 million), and provide restitution to affected consumers. CoinFlip currently operates 136 crypto ATMs in Missouri and 4,229 nationwide. Notably, Bitcoin Depot—another major crypto ATM operator—filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, and regulatory pressure is intensifying across the entire industry.
According to The Block, Bitcoin Depot (BTM), a Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin ATM operator, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on the 18th in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, announcing an orderly liquidation and asset sale. CEO Alex Holmes stated that increasingly stringent state-level compliance requirements, transaction limit restrictions, and operational bans in certain regions have rendered the company’s existing business model unsustainable. Previously, the company suffered a security breach in April 2026, resulting in a $3.7 million loss; its Q1 2026 revenue declined 49.2% year-on-year, with a net loss of $9.5 million. Currently, all over 9,000 Bitcoin ATMs operated globally by Bitcoin Depot have been taken offline, and its overseas entities—including those in Canada—will also be shut down.
According to Decrypt, Bitcoin ATM operator Bitcoin Depot filed a disclosure with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealing that it suffered a cybersecurity attack on March 23. Hackers infiltrated the company’s IT systems to obtain credentials for its digital asset settlement account and stole approximately 50.9 BTC—valued at roughly $3.665 million—from the company’s wallet. Following the incident, the company activated its incident response protocol, engaged external cybersecurity experts to conduct an investigation, and notified law enforcement authorities. Bitcoin Depot stated that its customer platform and user data remained unaffected. The company classified this event as a material matter, which may result in reputational damage and additional legal and regulatory costs.