In Albuquerque, a city in the U.S. state of New Mexico known to many from the series “Breaking Bad,” the city council has banned bitcoin ATMs and cryptocurrency transactions through cashiers.
What Is Banned
The new rules prohibit installing, using, and servicing crypto ATMs within the city. Operators are required to immediately disable such devices and then remove them from Albuquerque within 45 days.
The restrictions apply not only to companies that directly operate the machines. The ban also covers stores and other venues that provide space for placing cryptocurrency ATMs, kiosks, or similar computer equipment for digital currency transactions.
Separately, authorities have banned schemes where a cashier or other employee accepts payment for the purchase, sale, or transfer of cryptocurrency through a website, app, payment terminal, or other platform. In other words, the restrictions affect locations where a regular cashier essentially helps process a transaction with a crypto wallet.
What Residents Are Still Allowed
The council did not ban ownership of digital assets. Albuquerque residents can still store bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, use digital wallets, transfer coins to each other, and work with online platforms.
The ban also does not affect mining or software development related to blockchain. The key condition is that crypto ATMs, cashiers, and city locations that turn purchases or transfers into an offline service must not be involved in the transaction.
How Bitcoin ATMs Usually Work
A bitcoin ATM is a terminal for buying or selling cryptocurrency for cash or another available payment method. It usually connects the user to a crypto wallet: when buying, a person deposits money, scans the wallet’s QR code, confirms the amount, and receives coins after the transaction is processed on the network. When selling, the process is reversed: the user sends cryptocurrency to the address shown by the terminal and, after confirmation, receives cash or a credit by the chosen method.
To find the nearest crypto ATM where such devices are allowed, people usually use online maps and bitcoin ATM locator services. Before visiting, it’s important to check if the terminal is working, what transactions it supports, which cryptocurrencies are available, and what requirements the operator sets for users.
Almost every transaction requires a crypto wallet: the terminal either scans its QR code or provides an address for the transfer. The set of supported assets depends on the operator: most often it’s bitcoin, but some devices may also support other popular cryptocurrencies. Speed depends on network load and terminal rules: the request itself takes a few minutes, but final confirmation may take longer.
Bitcoin ATM fees are usually higher than those of online platforms, which Albuquerque authorities specifically noted. Limits, document checks, phone numbers, SMS codes, or other identification data depend on the operator and local regulations. Sometimes small transactions may be easier, but you shouldn’t expect complete anonymity.
The main advantage of crypto ATMs is quick offline access to buying or selling digital assets. The main downsides are high fees, limits, dependence on a specific operator, and the risk of fraud, especially if someone is rushed, asked to urgently deposit cash, or send coins to someone else’s wallet.
Why Authorities Took Tough Measures
Violations of the rules are subject to fines. In addition, authorities can seek court orders to dismantle crypto ATMs, and companies that continue to place such devices may have their business licenses revoked.
The initiative was promoted by city council members Stephanie Telles and Tammy Fiebelkorn.
According to Stephanie Telles, about 90% of transactions through crypto ATMs in Albuquerque are linked to fraud: high fees make such machines inconvenient for regular digital asset exchanges, while scammers are attracted by the speed and irreversibility of transfers.
In practice, the risk often starts before the terminal itself: a person may be convinced to urgently transfer money supposedly to protect an account, pay a fake fine, invest in a fraudulent investment scheme, or send cryptocurrency to an unknown recipient. To reduce risk, you should not follow instructions from strangers, share wallet codes and data, rush a transfer under pressure, or send coins to an address that cannot be reliably verified.
Tammy Fiebelkorn added that the city decided not to wait for similar regulations to appear at the federal level in the U.S. In the logic of city authorities, a cryptocurrency ATM operating as a quick exchange point at the intersection of cash, fiat money, and digital currency requires stricter control than a regular online transaction.
Context: Similar Ban in Minnesota
Since August 1, a ban on cryptocurrency ATMs has already been in effect in the state of Minnesota. There, operators were required to remove all devices by December 31.
Minnesota authorities explained the decision by citing increased financial losses among residents due to fraudulent schemes involving crypto ATMs. Against this backdrop, Albuquerque has become another example of how local authorities in the U.S. are tightening their approach to offline infrastructure for digital asset transactions.
