Texas Bitcoin ATM Regulations
Texas uses its money services business regime and Supervisory Memorandum 1037 to analyze virtual currency activity, without a separate Bitcoin ATM statute identified.
Licensing Requirements
Texas regulates money services businesses through the Department of Banking and has published Supervisory Memorandum 1037 on the regulatory treatment of virtual currencies.
Texas does not simply wave Bitcoin ATM operators through or ban them. Instead, it analyzes whether the business is receiving money or monetary value for transmission under the state’s money services framework.
Texas has not enacted a kiosk-specific Bitcoin ATM consumer-protection statute with daily caps or fee caps.
Federal Requirements
Texas operators still need federal MSB, AML, sanctions, and suspicious-activity controls in addition to any state licensing analysis.
- Register with FinCEN as a money services business when required by federal law.
- Maintain a written anti-money-laundering program, designate a compliance officer, and train kiosk support staff.
- Use customer identification, sanctions screening, and scam-escalation procedures sized to transaction risk.
- File Suspicious Activity Reports and Currency Transaction Reports when thresholds or facts require them.
Consumer Protection Resources
Texas Department of Banking is the main public contact for scam complaints and consumer questions in Texas.
Consumers can start with Texas Department of Banking.
- Texas publishes a money services complaints page for consumers and businesses.
- Consumers should verify the provider’s status before using a kiosk or hosted service.
- Keep receipts and wallet details if you suspect a scam or unauthorized activity.
Operator Requirements
Texas licensing analysis is highly fact dependent.
- The Department’s memorandum focuses on who receives the customer’s money and where the value is transmitted.
- Operators that handle both fiat and virtual currency should not assume an automatic exemption.
- A kiosk business should map the exact role of each entity in the transaction before launch in Texas.
Legislative Reference
Primary state framework: Texas Finance Code money services framework and Supervisory Memorandum 1037.
Primary regulator: Texas Department of Banking.
Texas relies on its money services framework and Supervisory Memorandum 1037 rather than a Bitcoin ATM-only statute.
Official source: state licensing and guidance materials.