U.S. regulators have already turned their attention to Bitcoin ATMs. Approximately 31,000 ATMs nationwide have been identified as key focus areas, for a very straightforward reason—scam issues are too severe.

Data speaks for itself. Since the beginning of 2025, Americans have lost over $333 million to these types of scams, with the FBI recording more than 12,000 complaints. From another perspective, each ATM could potentially be linked to a scam case.

The U.S. Department of Financial Protection and Innovation recently issued a new public warning, with a very simple and blunt core message: no legitimate institution will ask you to deposit money through a cryptocurrency ATM. The implied meaning is very clear—if someone does this, it’s almost certainly a scam.

For those trading or holding crypto assets here, this signal is worth paying attention to. The common scam tactic with ATMs is to exploit victims’ unfamiliarity with such channels, create a sense of urgency, and then induce them to act. Recognizing these tactics can help you avoid half the risk.