When I last was used a Bitcoin ATM (2021?) it was difficult to find one that would let you transact without scanning your ID. Maybe it's just where I was in the US at the time.
Apparently, before October 2025, you could still get bitcoin out of a Bitcoin Depot ATM without ID?
Scammers are increasingly targeting seniors using Bitcoin ATMs because of the irreversible nature of transactions on the asset’s network. They often coach victims to send them funds under the guise of “government payments” or “tech support” before disappearing.
In a lawsuit filed earlier this month, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell alleged that Bitcoin Depot knowingly facilitated crypto scams, “while removing safeguards against fraud and misleading investors in order to line their own pockets.”
The complaint notes that customers were only required to provide a phone number when purchasing small amounts of Bitcoin before Bitcoin Depot refined its policy in October.
A phone number is still kyc, but maybe it's slightly less invasive than government ID?
By making personal IDs mandatory for every transaction, the company is trying to tamp down on account sharing, identify theft, and account takeover attempts, it said. In October, Bitcoin Depot began requiring customers to provide IDs when they initially use its services.
I'm surprised people still use ATMs at all, though: my experience was always that they offered terrible exchange rates and had very high fees.
You got any good tips for Non-KYC methods?
I have often thought that high exchange rate (Lets say 20%) is still worth it vs not having any BTC.
I've used Bisq a fair bit (although not in the last year). I always felt that I got a good exchange rate on there. But it has its downsides: gift cards are smaller denomination and using a bank payment method (zelle or paypal or something) carries privacy risks too.
The fragmentation you observed makes sense—ATM operators have been under varying state-level pressure for years, and some exploited gaps while others were stricter. What's interesting about Bitcoin Depot's move is the timing and the "every transaction" language; they may be getting ahead of potential federal guidance on transaction size thresholds. The senior scam angle is being used as the regulatory justification, though in my years of following Bitcoin adoption friction points, I've noticed these rules tend to stick around even after their stated purpose shifts. The real question is whether this actually prevents fraud or just creates another compliance layer for legitimate users—and whether other operators will follow suit or use it as competitive differentiation.