Crypto ATM laws in Washington: a guide for operators (2026)

Licensing in Washington

Virtual currency transmission is licensed under the Uniform Money Services Act (ch. 19.230 RCW, amended 2017 c 30). DFI says most kiosk and ATM operators are likely money transmitters needing a license. Virtual currency licensees must make the disclosures in RCW 19.230.370 and WAC 208-690-205. DFI also issued interpretive statement UMSA-24-PS01 (2024-01-10) on kiosk disclosures. Licensees are listed by NMLS number; Bitcoin Depot and CoinFlip's GPD Holdings are on DFI's September 2025 list.

Regulator: Washington Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Consumer Services · License: Money transmitter license

Sources: DFI Virtual Currency primer · RCW 19.230.370 · WAC 208-690-205 · DFI interpretive statements list (UMSA-24-PS01) · DFI virtual currency licensee list, Sept 2025

Kiosk-specific rules

Washington has no law written specifically for crypto ATMs as of 2026-10-28. The general money transmission rules above and the federal rules still apply.

Bills and changes to watch

• SB/ESB 5280 (Kauffman), 'Protecting consumers of virtual currency kiosks': passed the Senate in 2025 and again in 2026. Per TVW it would have set a $2,000 per-person daily cap and a 15% fee cap. It stalled in House Consumer Protection & Business in February 2026 when a scheduled committee vote was skipped. No session law was found, so it was apparently not enacted in the 2025-26 biennium.

Local rules

• Spokane: Ordinance C36704 (Spokane Municipal Code ch. 10.90) makes it unlawful to host, allow, operate, permit, locate or place a virtual currency kiosk in the city. It passed 2025-06-16, took effect 2025-07-30, and gave existing kiosks 60 days to be removed. Violations are a class 1 civil infraction to the operator, and the city may revoke the operator's business license.
• Spokane Valley banned virtual currency kiosks (Spokesman-Review headline, 2026-05-11). Ordinance details unconfirmed.
• Kennewick adopted Ordinance 26-6177 adding KMC ch. 6.09 on virtual currency kiosks (2026-04-21 ordinance packet). News headlines describe it as a ban that removes all kiosks from the city.
• Anacortes banned cryptocurrency kiosks (Skagit Valley Herald headline). Date and details unconfirmed.
• Cheney: 'Cryptocurrency kiosks banned' (Cheney Free Press, 2026-07-30). Details unconfirmed.
• Benton County: a Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business article URL ('benton-crypto-ban') suggests a county ban or proposal. Unconfirmed.

Practical hurdles

• A spreading patchwork of city bans in eastern Washington (Spokane, Spokane Valley, Kennewick, Cheney) and elsewhere (Anacortes). Operators need to check city code before placing a kiosk.
• Retailers face exposure as 'hosts': Spokane's ban covers anyone who hosts or allows a kiosk, and the Washington Retail Association raised this concern about SB 5280 (TVW).

What we couldn't confirm

• The final legislative history of SB 5280: the official app.leg.wa.gov bill summary page could not be fetched (budget ran out). That it was not enacted rests on there being no session law and on TVW's 'stalled' report.
• The content of DFI interpretive statement UMSA-24-PS01 (not opened).
• Ordinance numbers, effective dates and penalties for Spokane Valley, Kennewick, Anacortes, Cheney and Benton County (headline-level only; MRSC roundup not opened).
• Washington MTMA adoption status (not checked).
• Any Washington AG action against kiosk operators: none found.