How to Buy Bitcoins at a Bitcoin ATM?

To buy bitcoin using a bitcoin ATM you need to find the nearest one to your location and understand what kind of machine it is. Ask yourself where is the nearest Bitcoin ATM near me? To find all locations - visit our bitcoin machines map. At present there are about 30 different types of bitcoin ATMs with around 20 manufacturers having their units actually installed somewhere. It can be difficult for an average user to understand how to buy bitcoins using Bitcoin ATM and what are the differences between different ATMs.

In this article we describe the bitcoin buying process for 6 different mostly established bitcoin ATMs in the world (they cover almost 90% of the market completely) and two more types, the first and now rarely used Thea (Skyhook and RoboCoin):

• Genesis1 machine from Genesis Coin
• Satoshi1 or Satoshi2 machine from Genesis Coin
• Lamassu
• General Bytes BATMTwo (one-way)
• General Bytes BATMThree (two-way)
• BitAccess
• Skyhook
• Robocoin

General

There is a general buy process at all bitcoin ATMs:                           

Verification step (optional and may vary substantially depending on machine’s type)

Provide bitcoin address for deposit (optionally can be generated and printed/emailed at some ATMs on the fly, but better to have your own with you before using a machine)

Insert cash into the ATM

Confirm operation (bitcoins sent to your bitcoin address at this moment)

This process may vary from ATM to ATM, and this is what we describe for every of the mentioned above bitcoin ATM types.  It is important to understand that even when machine’s software/hardware support compliance procedures, they are not necessarily activated, as it depends on the operator choice of every particular machine. That is why the same type of machine might have different verifications and limits set up.

Genesis1 bitcoin machine (Genesis Coin)

San-Diego based company Genesis Coin produces three types of ATMs: Genesis1 (two-way), Satoshi1 (one-way) and Satoshi2 (two-way). The process of purchasing bitcoins may have a verification procedure, in this case:

• Click “Buy Bitcoins”
• Provide mobile number
• Enter received validation code
• Scan fingerprint

Select coin (this type of machine may support not only Bitcoin, but also Litecoin, Dogecoin, Blackcoin, XCurrency)

• Choose to scan wallet (pre-defined) or generate new
• Scan wallet QR code if chosen
• Insert cash bills
• Click send
• Get printed receipt

Satoshi1 and Satoshi2 bitcoin ATM models (Genesis Coin)

The Satoshi 1 Genesis is a one-of-a-kind ATM model from the coin maker. So you can buy bitcoins from this machine for cash only. Satoshi 2 is a very similar looking unit, but has a dispenser slot and allows both buying and selling bitcoin transactions. However, buying bitcoins is the same on both of them.

The process flow is identical as the one for Genesis1, we just looked at. But here is an example of how bitcoins can be purchased at this machine:

Choose “buy bitcoin”

Choose amount you want to buy (usually the higher the amount, the more verifications you need to do. Important! The limits and verification procedures are set by operator and can be different on the same type of machines at different locations, they might even be omitted)

Enter phone number using ATM pin pad, get SMS code and enter the received code

Then there are several options on the screen how you want to provide address where bitcoins to be sent: choose QR code if you have a wallet already (recommended), you can also generate and print an address by machine, or just input your address manually.

• Then scan QR code of your address, and input cash bills
• Click finish when you are ready, and bitcoins will be sent to you immediately
• At the end you can print the receipt about transaction or get it emailed to you

General Bytes BATMTwo

General Bytes ATM may be set up to provide services to:

• anonymous users
• anonymous users + finger print scan
• registered users
• Depending on how the operator sets up the machine the process is different.

Also this bitcoin ATM does not have a receipt printer, but can additionally define a user email for the option of using an existing wallet where the encrypted private keys of the newly generated address will be sent with further instructions on how to use it. Do it Following is the process to buy bitcoins using your email:

• Choose language
• Click “Buy Bitcoins”
• Define the amount interval you want to buy (depending on this verification procedures may vary)
• Choose receive by email
• Save password which will be used to encrypt sent file
• Insert cash bills
• Click “Buy Bitcoins”
• Click “Done”