Opinion by: Scott Buchanan, chief operating officer of Bitcoin Depot
A new proposal to install Bitcoin ATMs in federal buildings highlights an important question: Can crypto truly go mainstream without a stronger physical presence? For years, the industry has focused on software and decentralization, but its reluctance to invest in real-world infrastructure is starting to show. Without physical access points, crypto risks becoming an exclusive, insiders-only system, rather than the open alternative it sets out to be.
Everyone loves to talk about decentralization. There’s a good reason behind this. It defines the movement, shapes the technology, and supportsthe vision of a better financial system. While the industry focuses on code and algorithms, it lacks something basic. A decentralized system that exists only online is not genuinely decentralized.
Physical infrastructure is the missing link
Bitcoin’s physical infrastructure is the missing link. Without tools like ATMs, kiosks and access points at traditional retail locations, crypto remains out of reach for millions. Decentralization is not just about removing intermediaries. True decentralization requires expanding access. Without real-world touchpoints, even the most advanced network becomes limited to a closed circle of insiders.
For crypto to become mainstream, it must be easy to reach digitally and physically. That means showing up in places people already go and seamlessly integrating into people’s lives. Many groups in the American population still rely on cash or don’t have access to traditional banks. According to the latest Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation report, around 5.6 million American households don’t have a bank or savings account. Bitcoin ATMs give these users access without needing an app, a bank account or a crash course in blockchain. Most crypto tools today assume a level of financial fluency and infrastructure that millions simply do not have. The result is a digital-only ecosystem that locks out newcomers and widens the divide between early adopters and everyone else.
User-friendly screen in the right place
Physical infrastructure helps address this issue. A Bitcoin ATM in a grocery store or gas station is not just a convenience but a bridge to financial inclusion. It is an invitation to someone who has never bought crypto, telling them they can participate. No bank, no broker, just a user-friendly screen in a familiar place.
These machines also generate new economic activity. Local businesses benefit from increased foot traffic as the kiosks create passive revenue. For many communities, they provide access to a parallel financial system that was previously out of reach. This is a tangible example of crypto’s real-world utility. It is already happening, and it is measurable.
The crypto industry’s blind spot
The industry often treats physical infrastructure like an afterthought. The obsession with building new digital solutions has created a blind spot. Innovation without usability builds systems that serve the few but exclude the many. If someone can buy Bitcoin (BTC) at the same place they buy their morning coffee, that is when crypto stops feeling like an obscure digital asset and starts becoming part of everyday life.
As governments increase regulation, trusted and transparent interfaces will become more important. When operated within regulatory frameworks, Bitcoin ATMs offer a way to provide access between traditional finance and digital assets. They are familiar, easy to monitor and offer a more approachable entry point for the general public.
Like any financial tool, Bitcoin ATMs have drawn scrutiny, particularly in cases where bad actors use them. Rather than dismissing the machines themselves, we should focus on investing in better oversight, stronger consumer education and smarter regulation. The overwhelming majority of people who use Bitcoin ATMs do so for legitimate reasons: to send remittances, to move money securely or to access digital assets without traditional banking barriers. Building trust does not mean avoiding or dismantling physical access, but improving it.
The first time someone uses Bitcoin should not involve reading a white paper or navigating a tutorial. It should be as familiar as using an ATM or tapping a payment terminal. This is not an argument against innovation. Software and protocols will continue to evolve and play an important role. Physical infrastructure provides something those tools cannot: trust through presence. When people can see and use crypto in their neighborhood, at a store they already visit or in a format they already understand, it changes how they think about crypto and who it is for.
According to Coin ATM Radar, there are over 30,000 Bitcoin ATMs in the US. It’s a meaningful start, but still only a small step toward widespread access.
Crypto’s long-term success will depend not just on innovation but also on inclusion. That means building more than networks; it means building presence. When people can interact with crypto in the physical world, it stops being abstract and becomes usable. That is how digital finance becomes everyday finance.
Opinion by: Scott Buchanan, chief operating officer of Bitcoin Depot.
This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
The chief rabbi has described the BBC’s response to anti-IDF chanting at Glastonbury as “belated and mishandled” – as the punk-rap duo involved, Bob Vylan, said the UK government needed to talk about its “criminal inaction”.
Sir Ephraim Mirvis said “vile Jew-hatred” had been aired at the Somerset music festival and it was a “time of national shame”.
Confidence in the BBC’s “ability to treat antisemitism seriously” has been brought to a “new low”, he said in a post on X, adding that “outright incitement to violence and hatred” appeared to be acceptable if it was couched as “edgy political commentary”.
Ordinary people had not only failed to see incitement “for what it is” but had cheered it, chanted it, and celebrated it, he said. “Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society,” he added.
Bob Vylan, posting a new statement on Instagram on Tuesday, said they were “not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people”.
Rather, they were for the “dismantling of a violent military machine” – the Israel Defence Forces.
Bob Vylan chanted “death to the IDF” at Glastonbury. As many as 95% of the IDF are thought to be Jewish.
In their statement, the group said they were a “distraction from the story” and that whatever “sanctions” they received would also be a distraction.
Their US visas have been revoked and United Talent Agency, their US representatives, have dropped them.
Image: Bob Vylan with their MOBO award in London in November 2022. Pic: Reuters
Referring to the war in Gaza, they claimed the UK government does not want them to ask “why they remain silent in the face of this atrocity”, “why they aren’t doing more to stop the killing” and “feed the starving”.
They added: “The more time they talk about Bob Vylan, the less time they spend answering for their criminal inaction.
“We are being targeted for speaking up. We are not the first, we will not be the last, and if you care for the sanctity of human life and freedom of speech, we urge you to speak up, too.”
It has emerged that Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, was at Glastonbury when the duo led chants of “Death to the IDF” which were broadcast live.
The prime minister’s spokesman, asked if the PM had confidence in Mr Davie, said Sir Keir Starmer had “confidence in the BBC”, adding: “The position of the director-general is a matter for the BBC’s board.”
Speaking in the Commons, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said “accountability” was important and it was something she had “impressed upon the BBC leadership”.
She added: “When you have one editorial failure, it’s something that must be gripped. When you have several, it becomes a problem of leadership.”
The cabinet minister said she’d called Mr Davie after Bob Vylan’s set had been broadcast to find out why it had aired, and why the feed had not been cut.
“I expect answers to these questions without delay,” she said.
Meanwhile Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the culture, media and sport committee, has written to Mr Davie in relation to the corporation’s Glastonbury coverage.
The committee has said the letter asks about editorial and decision-making processes and whether consideration was given to broadcasting with a delay. It also asks about staffing levels at the festival and contingency planning.
Image: Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, has claimed there is a ‘problem of leadership’ at the BBC. File pic: PA
Avon and Somerset Police has begun a criminal investigation and is reviewing footage of both Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s performances at Glastonbury.
The force said a senior detective had been appointed – and it had been contacted by people from around the world.
“We… recognise the strength of public feeling,” it said.
During Kneecap’s set, one member suggested starting a “riot” outside his bandmate’s forthcoming court appearance, before clarifying that he meant “support”. Liam Og O hAnnaidh, also known as Mo Chara, is charged with a terror offence.
Image: Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap performing at Glastonbury. Pic: Reuters
Bob Vylan had been due to tour the US before their visas were revoked.
US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau said action had been taken “in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants”.
“Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” he added.
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During Bob Vylan’s set, the duo performed in front of a screen that showed several messages, including one that claimed Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to “genocide”.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on 7 October 2023 and killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostage.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza has led to the deaths of more than 56,500 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Media watchdog Ofcom has said the BBC “clearly has questions to answer” over the live stream from Glastonbury.
A BBC spokesperson said: “The director-general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage.”
The broadcaster respects freedom of expression but “stands firmly against incitement to violence”, they said.
They added: “The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves…
“The team were dealing with a live situation, but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.”