Top 10 Countries with the Most Bitcoin ATMs: Who Challenges the US?
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Bitcoin ATMs are increasingly accessible across countries. These machines are a key component of the cryptocurrency ecosystem, enabling the public to buy or sell Bitcoin directly through physical terminals.
Simply put, Bitcoin ATMs resemble standard bank ATMs but are designed for cryptocurrency transactions, primarily Bitcoin, rather than withdrawing cash from bank accounts.
Users can purchase Bitcoin with cash or debit cards, with the cryptocurrency then sent to their digital wallet. In some locations, Bitcoin ATMs also allow users to sell Bitcoin and receive cash.
The presence of Bitcoin ATMs reflects the extent of cryptocurrency infrastructure development in a country. More machines mean easier direct access to Bitcoin transactions without full reliance on online trading platforms.
According to Coin ATM Radar data, the United States (US) has the highest number of Bitcoin ATMs globally, far surpassing all other countries. Here is the list of the top 10 countries by Bitcoin ATM count:
The US has 20,742 Bitcoin ATM locations, a figure that dwarfs Canada’s second-place count of 3,723.
America’s dominance reflects the size of its crypto market. Digital asset infrastructure has grown rapidly due to strong retail investor interest, numerous crypto service providers, and a more mature digital financial ecosystem.
Australia ranks third with 1,790 Bitcoin ATMs, making it one of the largest crypto markets in Asia-Pacific, with growing digital asset adoption. European nations also feature in the top 10.
Poland is fourth with 351 locations, followed by Spain (247), Italy (195), and Romania (174).
Hong Kong also features with 237 Bitcoin ATMs, highlighting its role as an active Asian financial hub in digital asset development.
Notably, El Salvador ranks in the top 10 with 210 Bitcoin ATMs. The country is known for its aggressive Bitcoin adoption, becoming the first globally to legalise Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021.
The policy took effect in September 2021 after the government mandated businesses to accept Bitcoin as payment if they had the necessary technology.
New Zealand also has 210 Bitcoin ATMs, matching El Salvador’s count.
The distribution of Bitcoin ATMs remains highly uneven, with the US as the global hub while other countries have significantly fewer machines.
Even when combined, the total Bitcoin ATMs in Canada, Australia, Poland, Spain, Hong Kong, El Salvador, New Zealand, Italy, and Romania are far lower than those in the US.
This highlights uneven global adoption of physical crypto infrastructure. Although crypto transactions are typically online, Bitcoin ATMs remain a key indicator of how deeply digital assets have integrated into everyday financial activities in a country.