In brief
- Rep. Lance Gooden (R., Texas) has urged the GSA to install crypto ATMs in federal buildings.
- He described the move as in line with Trump’s ambitions for U.S. blockchain leadership.
- But crypto ATM-related fraud is surging in the U.S., with seniors particularly vulnerable.
As Trump continues to promote crypto and meme coins, a Texas lawmaker is jumping on the bandwagon with a plan to bring digital currency even closer to everyday Americans by installing crypto ATMs in federal buildings.
Rep. Lance Gooden (R., Texas), a Republican representing Texas’ 5th congressional district, wrote to General Services Administration’s acting administrator Stephen Ehikian on Thursday, urging the agency to embrace crypto infrastructure through the addition of the machines.
The GSA manages government buildings, some of which contain regular banking ATMs.
In his letter, Gooden called crypto “an integral part of the global financial system” and proposed using ATMs in federal buildings to support the financial needs of a “diverse and growing consumer base.”
“By providing access to cryptocurrency ATMs in federal buildings, we have the unique opportunity to ensure that our public spaces reflect this rapidly evolving trend,” he wrote.
The proposal, he added, aligns with President Donald Trump’s vision of U.S. dominance in blockchain and crypto innovation.
Honeypot
More crypto ATMs might be good news for the organized crime groups targeting Americans with scams.
Nearly 11,000 complaints were filed in 2024 relating to crypto ATMs and kiosks, up 99% from 2023, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Losses totaled $246.7 million, with seniors disproportionately affected and losing more than $107 million.
Fraud tied to crypto ATMs includes extortion, tech support scams, government impersonation schemes, and phony investment offers, the IC3 report said.
Scammers commonly ask targets to use them to transfer money due to the difficulty of clawing back funds, the anonymity they provide, and the fact that it requires no contact with anyone who might question why a target is transferring large amounts of money.
Other jurisdictions are already cracking down. The UK has banned crypto ATMs outright, while France, Australia, and Germany have clamped down on unregistered operators.
In the U.S., some cities and states are also enacting restrictions or bans. A Minnesota town has outlawed the machines, and Nebraska recently capped fees at 18% and limited daily transactions.
Meanwhile, a group of Democratic senators is pushing for a federal Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act.
The bill includes mandatory fraud warnings, anti-fraud policies registered with FinCEN, transaction limits for new users, and refund provisions if fraud is reported within a set period.
Even still, Gooden believes his initiative could yield several benefits.
While he paid lip service to some of the risks, remarking that the effort “should require close collaboration with regulators, industry experts, and technology providers to ensure adherence to anti-money laundering and other relevant standards,” he advocated for the ATMs in bringing “enhanced accessibility and public education opportunities.”
“ By embracing this initiative, we can take a significant step toward realizing [Trump’s] vision and solidifying our nation’s status as a superpower in the digital financial landscape,” he wrote.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
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