Albuquerque bans Bitcoin ATMs, orders operators to shut down and remove machines within 45 days

In Albuquerque, the city council has voted to ban crypto ATMs, along with cashier-assisted crypto purchases and transfers done through a website, app, payment terminal, or similar platform. For high-risk payment providers, the point is simple: this is another local rule that targets the cash-in/cash-out infrastructure scammers tend to use.

1. Under the council’s order, installing, operating, and servicing crypto ATMs is now prohibited within Albuquerque. Operators must turn off the machines immediately and remove them from the city within 45 days. The restriction also applies to stores and other businesses that host the devices.
2. The ban goes beyond kiosks. It also covers transactions where a cashier or other employee accepts payment for buying, selling, or transferring cryptocurrency through a website, app, payment terminal, or another platform. In other words: if a human is taking the payment for the crypto transfer, Albuquerque does not want that setup either.
3. The council did not ban ownership of digital assets, mining, or blockchain software development. Residents can still send crypto to each other and use online platforms for crypto transactions, as long as crypto ATMs or cashiers are not involved.
4. Violations can trigger fines. City authorities may go to court to force removal of the machines, and companies that keep hosting them can have their business licenses revoked.
5. The measure was introduced by council members Stephanie Telles and Tammy Fiebelkorn. Telles said about 90% of transactions through crypto ATMs in Albuquerque are linked to fraud, though she did not provide independent verification for that figure. Fiebelkorn said city officials decided not to wait for similar action at the federal level.

The Albuquerque move lands alongside Minnesota’s statewide ban on crypto ATMs, which took effect on 1 August. In Minnesota, operators must remove all devices by 31 December, with officials citing rising financial losses tied to scam schemes using crypto ATMs.