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Despite regulatory pressures on bitcoin ATMs, they continue to expand into new spaces such as retailer Royal Farms. Yet, these retailers aren’t ignoring crypto ATM scams, they are choosing operators that combat it.

Photo: Bitstop

December 19, 2025

Bitcoin ATMs have been under fire from many angles recently, as the huge surge in scams brings in attention from law enforcement, local and state municipalities. As a result, some have begun to take action, whether that’s Illinois passing a law regulating bitcoin ATMs to combat fraud or St. Paul, Minnesota voting to ban them outright. Amid all this chaos, some retailers are embracing the machines while deploying fraud prevention tools to protect customers from bitcoin ATM scams.

Retail adoption

One such retailer is Royal Farms, a convenience store chain with more than 300 locations in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware. It recently partnered with Bitstop to deploy bitcoin ATMs at all 310 of its locations.

With these ATMs, customers can purchase bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Ripple, USD Coin and other cryptocurrencies, according to a press release.

“Royal Farms partnered with Bitstop to offer a secure, easy-to-use way for customers to access digital assets while visiting their store because it aligns with our long-standing commitment to making life easier, safer, and more convenient for the communities we serve,” Frank Schilling, director of procurement, Royal Farms, said in an email interview.

“Our machines are built around one idea: make the customer’s journey simple, safe, and predictable. A modern, feature-rich experience that still feels as familiar and straightforward as using a regular ATM,” Drew Carey, co-founder and CEO, Bitstop, said in an email interview.

He added that customers are able to sell cryptocurrency as well, including “additional emerging tokens that meet compliance and safety requirements.”

Keeping the customer safe

For Royal Farms, it was key that these bitcoin ATMs also provide safety measures to combat fraud, and Bitstop accommodated this desire with its Safety Net feature.

Carey said that this tool “is our industry-leading consumer and brand protection system. It monitors activity in real time to identify urgent-payment patterns, impersonation attempts and other high-risk behaviors. When needed, the machine introduces verification prompts that slow customers down, clarify intent and prevent unsafe transactions before they occur.”

He added that this is combined with other safety tools such as multi-step verification, transaction limits, prompts and support from a customer service team.

“The entire flow is designed to protect both the customer and the retailer’s brand,” Carey said.

Schilling added that the platform also provides, “real-time scam detection, AI-driven alerts, verification prompts and clear on-screen education that guides customers step-by-step, especially those exploring digital currency for the first time.”

Helping customers explore crypto

In an era where many believe that bitcoin ATMs primarily make their money through scam victims, Royal Farms and Bitstop aimed to provide a safer experience to allow customers to explore cryptocurrency and digital assets.

“By offering secure, 24-hour access to digital assets in well-lit, welcoming stores, Royal Farms continues to deliver the convenience it’s known for, fresh food, great coffee, value-priced fuel and now a simple, reliable way to participate in the digital economy. It’s another way we’re enhancing the customer experience, building loyalty, and making every stop at Royal Farms a little more helpful, a little more convenient, and a lot more welcoming,” Schilling said.

Bitstop isn’t the only operator addressing concerns surrounding fraud. Bitcoin Depot recently introduced ID compliancetools requiring customers to scan their IDs at the kiosks. It also integrated safeguards to identify fraudulent transactions and contact the customer in real-time.

The goal of bitcoin ATMs should be to improve the customer’s experience and provide a service, not act as a source of danger for vulnerable members of society. That’s why Royal Farms selected Bitstop.

“As a brand known for convenience, quality and trusted service, Royal Farms has always focused on expanding helpful amenities that fit naturally into the customer’s day,” Schilling said. “Bitstop has a proven track record in secure retail deployments and a strong commitment to consumer protection, making the partnership a natural fit for the Royal Farms brand. By bringing multi-coin digital-currency access to all 310 locations, Royal Farms now offers customers a modern financial option that fits seamlessly into the way they already shop, fuel up and enjoy our store.”

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