Albuquerque has banned crypto ATMs. Mayor Tim Keller signed the city’s Virtual Currency Ordinance, O-26-49, on Friday, October 2, 2026, which prohibits virtual currency ATMs and cashier-assisted crypto purchases inside the city, because the kiosks have become a payment step in impersonation scams (City of Albuquerque).

What the Albuquerque crypto ATM ban covers

The city’s announcement lists what changes and what does not (City of Albuquerque):

  • Banned: virtual currency ATMs and “cashier-facilitated virtual currency transactions” within Albuquerque.
  • Removal: existing machines must stop operating and be physically removed within 45 days of the ordinance’s effective date.
  • Hosts: property owners, landlords and retailers may no longer host the machines.
  • Still legal: residents may keep owning, mining and privately transferring crypto through online exchanges and personal digital wallets. The ordinance “does not prohibit cryptocurrency itself.”

The City Council approved the ordinance on September 9, sponsored by Councilors Stephanie W. Telles and Tammy Fiebelkorn.

Why the city went after the kiosks

The city says kiosks, which turn cash into crypto, “have increasingly been used in impersonation scams and coercive payment schemes,” and that older adults are among those most often targeted. Once cash is converted and sent, the city notes, getting it back “can be extremely difficult.”

The FBI sees the same thing nationally. In its September warning on government impersonation scams, it lists cash at a crypto kiosk among the payment methods fake police and officials demand, next to prepaid cards, wires and couriers.

What it means for you

If you live in Albuquerque, the machines will disappear once the removal period ends. If you live anywhere else, the rule behind the ban still applies to you: no police department, bank, tax agency or tech support desk will ever ask you to pay at a crypto ATM. A caller who does is running a scam, whatever badge number or case file they read out.

If you already paid through a kiosk, act quickly. Our guide on what to do in the first hour after money is stolen lists who to call. Be ready for the second wave: people who lost crypto are often contacted by fake “asset recovery” firms and fake FBI agents, which our crypto recovery scam guide explains.

How we checked this

This item is based on the City of Albuquerque’s announcement of the signing of ordinance O-26-49. Facts checked on October 5, 2026.