NC House Passes Stricter Regulations for Bitcoin ATMs Amid Growing Scam Concerns

A bill aimed at regulating bitcoin ATMs has been passed unanimously by the North Carolina House. The original bill, which sought to expand the use of digital assets in the state, was significantly altered during its passage.

The updated version focuses on protecting consumers from scams and imposing strict regulations on kiosk operators. Companies would be required to obtain a money transmitter license, cap fees at 3% per transaction, and display prominent warnings about potential scams before processing any transactions.

Kiosk operators would also need to provide detailed paper receipts, deploy software capable of detecting known scam-linked cryptocurrency wallets, and report the location of every kiosk to the state each quarter. Daily transaction limits were restructured, with new customers limited to $1,000 per day and returning customers allowed up to $2,500 daily.

The proposed law aims to address a growing problem in North Carolina, where seniors have been targeted by scammers using bitcoin ATMs. According to Rep. Neal Jackson (R-Moore), cryptocurrency kiosk fraud has resulted in 13,460 complaints nationwide in 2025, with reported losses totaling $389 million.