More than 3600 Bitcoin ATMs went offline to record largest monthly decline

Contradicting the global growth of Bitcoin (BTC) adoption rate, physical ATMs dedicated to fiat-crypto conversions are on the decline. In March alone, 3,627 crypto ATMs were removed from the network, bringing the total number of ATMs down to 33,727.

In nearly a decade since the first Bitcoin ATM was launched On October 29, 2013, the net change of cryptocurrency machines installed and removed on a monthly basis remained positive most of the time, implying that the total number of cryptocurrency ATMs worldwide was constantly increasing. However, the trend is reversing, reveals Coin ATM Radar data.

Net change in the number of cryptocurrency machines installed and removed on a monthly basis. Source: Coin ATM Radar

As shown above, net crypto ATM installs declined for four months: September 2022 and the first three months of 2023. However, with 3,627 crypto ATMs dropping last month, March 2023 stands out as the month with the largest monthly decline.

Number of installed bitcoin machines over time. Source: Coin ATM Radar

The chart above shows the number of installed bitcoin machines over time, revealing the sudden drop in total crypto ATMs. The significance of this reduction seems enormous, considering that the highest number of ATMs installed in one month was 2,048, in January 2021.

Number of cryptocurrency machines installed over time by each major manufacturer over time. Source: Coin ATM Radar

On the bright side, April broke the three-month downtrend by recording 37 crypto ATM installs on April 1. The current market leaders in manufacturing crypto ATMs are General Bytes, BitAccess, and Genesis Coin.

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After losing customer funds in a "security incident" in March in which its customers' hot wallets were accessed, General Bytes has vowed to reimburse the losses.

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โ€œWe have taken immediate steps to prevent further unauthorized access to our systems and are working tirelessly to protect our customers,โ€ General Bytes said in a statement.