German Regulator Seizes Crypto ATMs

Germany's financial regulator BaFin is seizing bitcoin ATMs run by "Shitcoins Club" months after ordering its operator to cease trading crypto.

AccessTimeIconAug 6, 2020 at 4:23 p.m. UTC
Updated Aug 19, 2021 at 3:33 a.m. UTC
Static Headline: Amazing Event
Static Subheadline: Oct 24, 2023 - City, StateStatic description: Where the industry establishes the digital economy’s legal, regulatory and compliance best practices for the future.Subscribe Today

Germany's financial regulator BaFin is seizing bitcoin ATMs run by "Shitcoins Club" months after ordering its Polish operator to cease trading crypto in the country.

  • On Wednesday, authorities began shuttering "Shitcoins Club" storefronts and seizing its bitcoin ATM machinery, a BaFin official confirmed with CoinDesk, for allegedly operating without banking or proprietary trading licenses.
  • BaFin ordered Shitcoins' parent company KKT UG to cease all German crypto trading operations in February. But CEO Adam Gramowski flaunted regulators' demands and kept his kiosks running, according to financial news site Handelsblatt. Gramowski did not immediately respond to a CoinDesk request for comment.
  • The action will likely take a substantial portion of Germany's crypto ATMs offline. Shitcoins Club has around 17 bitcoin, litecoin and ether ATMs in the country; Germany as a whole has only 67 operational bitcoin ATMs.
  • Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
    13:18
    Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
  • Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
    05:10
    Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
  • The first video of the year 2024
    04:07
    The first video of the year 2024
  • The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
    40:07
    The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
  • Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.