Albuquerque’s ban on cryptocurrency ATMs and cashier-assisted crypto transactions took effect October 21, according to the city government. Operators must stop using the machines and physically remove existing kiosks by December 5. Businesses that fail to comply may face fines of $500 per day and possible revocation of their business licences.
The ordinance also bars property owners, landlords and retailers from hosting the machines. City officials say the measure is intended to reduce scams in which criminals pressure or deceive people into converting cash into cryptocurrency and sending it to a wallet that they control.
Which crypto ATM activities Albuquerque banned
The city’s announcement says virtual-currency ATMs and cashier-facilitated virtual-currency transactions are prohibited within Albuquerque. The measure targets physical kiosks and related in-person transactions, rather than cryptocurrency ownership as a whole.
Residents may continue to own, possess and mine virtual currency, and they may privately transfer it or use internet-based exchanges and personal wallets. The distinction matters: the local rule restricts particular ways of buying or transferring crypto, not the existence of digital assets themselves.
Why city officials are targeting kiosks
Crypto kiosks let users exchange cash for digital assets, which can then be sent to another wallet. City officials say scammers have used these machines in impersonation and coercive-payment schemes. Once cryptocurrency is transferred, recovering it can be difficult or impossible, particularly when the recipient is controlled by a fraudster.
The city says older residents and other vulnerable groups can be disproportionately affected. The ordinance is a local consumer-protection measure, and the city’s stated rationale focuses on the use of kiosks in scams rather than on blockchain technology generally.
The December 5 kiosk-removal deadline
Under the city’s notice, existing machines must cease operating and be physically removed within 45 days, by December 5, 2026. Property owners and businesses that host kiosks are also covered by the prohibition. The city warns that non-compliance can result in daily fines and action against a business licence.
Operators and property owners should consult the enacted ordinance and city guidance for the precise obligations that apply to their premises. This report summarises the city’s public announcement and is not a substitute for legal advice.
A local rule, not a nationwide crypto ban
The Albuquerque measure applies within the city. It does not by itself establish a national policy for cryptocurrency ATMs, nor does it prevent residents from using all online crypto services. Other jurisdictions may take different approaches to kiosk licensing, fraud prevention and consumer disclosures.
The decision arrives amid wider scrutiny of how crypto businesses safeguard customers and manage compliance. In a separate development, Ireland’s central bank this week announced a penalty against Coinbase Ireland over safeguarding and outsourcing controls. The cases involve different laws and facts, but both show regulators and local authorities focusing on the protections surrounding crypto-related services.
Source
- City of Albuquerque: New Virtual Currency Ordinance Goes into Effect, October 21, 2026
- Albuquerque City Council: Ordinance O-26-49
Related coverage: Coinbase Ireland fined €3.25 million over customer-fund safeguarding failures.
This report is for informational purposes and is not legal or investment advice.
