Albuquerque bans Bitcoin ATMs, gives operators 45 days to comply

Albuquerque just became one of the first major US cities to outright ban cryptocurrency ATMs. The city council passed an ordinance on September 10 prohibiting the operation of virtual currency kiosks and cashier-assisted crypto transactions across the entire city, giving existing operators 45 days to pull their machines after notification. The driving force behind the move: an eye-popping claim from District 1 Councilor Stephanie W. Telles that 90% of crypto ATM transactions in Albuquerque are tied to fraud. Whether that figure holds up to rigorous scrutiny or not, it was persuasive enough to get the ordinance across the finish line. The fraud numbers fueling the crackdown The ordinance was co-sponsored by Councilor Telles and District 7 Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, and the case they made centered almost entirely on consumer protection. New Mexico reported $86.6 million in crypto-related fraud losses for 2025. Of that total, $55.8 million involved elderly victims, a demographic that advocacy groups and law enforcement have identified as particularly vulnerable to kiosk scams. Those state-level numbers are part of a larger national trend. FBI data showed $390 million in crypto kiosk ...