Crypto ATM Network Shrinks: Is the Boom Over?

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Global Crypto ATM Network Shrinks Slightly Despite Early-Year Additions

Growth is slowing down because more machines are being taken out of service, although North America continues to be the main source of activity worldwide.

As a crypto investor, I’ve been watching the growth of Bitcoin ATMs, and it’s definitely slowed down. They were popping up everywhere for a while, and we almost hit 40,000 machines globally, but then things took a turn. While there were a few new ATMs installed recently, a lot more were actually taken offline. It seems like the market is kind of mixed right now – growing in some areas, but shrinking in others.

Crypto ATM Market Shrinks in March, Erasing February’s Gains

According to Coin ATM Radar data from March 29, 2026, the number of crypto ATMs decreased by a total of 774 for the month. While January saw a loss of 139 machines, February offered a brief recovery with 231 new installations. Unfortunately, March wiped out those gains and led to a further decline.

Image Source: Coin ATM Radar

According to Coin ATM Radar, operators installed 80 new Bitcoin ATMs in early March. However, 769 machines were taken offline that same month, bringing the total net loss for the year to 597 ATMs. This means that, so far in 2024, there are fewer crypto ATMs available than at the beginning of the year.

Currently, there are 38,928 machines worldwide. While this brings the industry close to the 40,000 mark, recent reductions suggest reaching that number will be challenging.

Top Operators Control 78% of Crypto ATMs as Industry Remains Consolidated

As a researcher studying the growth of cryptocurrency ATMs, I’ve found a very clear pattern in their geographic distribution. North America, and particularly the United States, is by far the most prominent location for these machines. According to data from Coin ATM Radar, the U.S. currently has over 30,000 ATMs – around 78% of the global total. Canada comes in second with nearly 3,800 units, representing almost 10%, which really highlights North America’s leading role in this infrastructure.

While the U.S. and Canada dominate the crypto ATM market, Europe has a much smaller presence with only 1,727 machines, making up 4.4% of the total. Together, these three regions (U.S., Canada, and Europe) account for 92% of all crypto ATMs globally. The remaining 8% are scattered across Asia, Oceania, and other areas, showing limited adoption outside of Western countries.

The crypto ATM market is also highly concentrated among operators. The top ten companies control 30,450 machines, which is 78.2% of the worldwide total. General Bytes is the leading operator with 13,388 machines (34.4% market share), followed by BitAccess with 9,949 units (25.6%), and Athena Bitcoin in third place with 4,045 machines (10.4%).

Looking at the Bitcoin ATM scene, BitAccess is a major player with almost 10,000 machines – that’s about a quarter of all ATMs out there. Athena Bitcoin comes in second with over 4,000, representing around 10% of the market. It’s clear that a few big companies are really leading the way, and a lot of smaller businesses are filling in the gaps.

Altcoin Support Becomes Standard as Multi-Asset Access Expands Globally

Crypto ATMs now commonly support multiple cryptocurrencies, moving beyond just Bitcoin. Almost all machines that offer Bitcoin also allow users to buy at least one other cryptocurrency, meaning multi-currency support is now the norm. This means altcoins are available on all 38,928 machines currently tracked.

Ethereum is the most widely accepted alternative cryptocurrency, available at over 21,000 locations. Litecoin is a close second, supported by nearly 20,000 machines, and Tether is available at almost 15,000 locations worldwide. This shows that operators tend to focus on well-known cryptocurrencies with high trading volumes when they offer options beyond Bitcoin.

Most crypto ATMs currently only allow users to buy cryptocurrency with cash – around 91.6% are set up this way. While some machines do allow both buying and selling, two-way access is still not widely available.

The industry is currently going through a period of change. Although the total number of machines worldwide is nearing 40,000, growth has slowed because more machines are being taken offline. Whether the 40,000 milestone will be reached in 2026 depends on whether the rate of new installations can outpace the number of machines being removed.

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2026-03-30 07:32