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At the machine

How to Use a COINworKs Bitcoin ATM

A cash purchase at a kiosk takes about five minutes. Here is what happens at each step, what the screen should tell you before you commit, and the rules that apply to every Bitcoin ATM in California.

Before you go

  • A wallet on your phone. The Bitcoin goes to an address you control, not to an account we hold. If you do not have one yet, set it up at home rather than at the machine, and write the recovery phrase down on paper.
  • Cash, in notes. Kiosks take bills, not cards or cheques.
  • Your phone and a photo ID. You will verify a phone number, and above the smallest tiers the machine scans a government ID.

  1. Scan your wallet QR code

    Open your Bitcoin wallet, bring up the receive QR code, and hold it to the scanner. The address on that code is where your Bitcoin goes, so check it belongs to a wallet you control. Do not use an address someone else sent you.

  2. Insert cash and read the screen

    Choose your coin and feed in notes. Before you confirm, the screen shows the rate, the fee in dollars, the amount of Bitcoin you receive and the destination address. Nothing is charged until you press confirm, and you can cancel up to that point.

  3. Bitcoin is sent to your wallet

    The transaction broadcasts to the Bitcoin network, usually landing in your wallet within minutes, though network congestion can make it longer. You get a printed receipt and a text or email confirmation with the transaction ID.

The rules that apply to every kiosk in California

Three parts of California's Digital Financial Assets Law change what happens at the machine, and they apply to every operator in the state.

  • A $1,000 daily limit per customer. In force since January 2024. It is a statutory ceiling, not a setting, so it is the same at every kiosk you try.
  • A cap on what the operator may charge. Since January 2025, charges on a single transaction cannot exceed the greater of $5 or 15% of the value traded.
  • Disclosure before, receipt after. The terms appear in writing before you confirm, and the receipt has to show the fee and the spread against a licensed exchange price.

More on what a kiosk charges is on Bitcoin ATM fees, and on the cap itself at daily limits. There is a fuller explanation of the California rules in this guide to the California kiosk rules.

One thing worth saying plainly

If somebody you have not met in person told you to come to a Bitcoin ATM and send them money, stop and call us on (888) 811-2646 before you insert anything. No government agency, utility, bank or police department accepts payment in Bitcoin. Once a transaction confirms on the network it cannot be reversed by us or by anyone else, which is exactly why that script gets used.

Questions people ask

What do I need to bring to a Bitcoin ATM?
A Bitcoin wallet on your phone, cash in notes, and your phone number. Above the smallest tiers you will also need a government photo ID for the machine to scan. If you do not have a wallet yet, set one up before you go; support can walk you through it on (888) 811-2646.
How much can I buy at a Bitcoin ATM in California?
$1,000 per customer per day. That ceiling is set by California's Digital Financial Assets Law and applies to every kiosk in the state, not just ours. It is a legal limit rather than a machine setting, so no operator can raise it for you.
How long does the Bitcoin take to arrive?
Usually a few minutes. The kiosk broadcasts your transaction to the Bitcoin network as soon as you confirm, and the wait after that depends on network congestion rather than on the machine. Your receipt carries the transaction ID so you can track it yourself in any block explorer.
What does the receipt show?
The amount of cash you inserted, the Bitcoin you received, the fee collected, the destination address and the transaction ID. California also requires the receipt to show the spread between the kiosk price and the price at a licensed exchange, so the fee and the spread together tell you the full cost of the trade. Keep it.
Can I sell Bitcoin at a COINworKs ATM?
Most kiosks in the network are buy-only. To sell Bitcoin for cash, use the staffed counters at The Bitcoin Store in San Jose or Stockton, which handle both directions in person.
Something went wrong with my transaction. What do I do?
Call support on (888) 811-2646 with your receipt in hand. The transaction ID on it is what lets the team trace exactly what happened. Do not attempt the transaction again until you have spoken to someone.

Need more than the $1,000 a kiosk can do? Buy Bitcoin over the counter instead.

Find a Bitcoin ATM near you