Opinion: Scott Buchanan, Chief Operating Officer, Bitcoin Depot
The new proposal to install Bitcoin ATMs in federal buildings highlights an important question. For years, the industry has focused on software and decentralization, but there has been resistance to investing in real-world infrastructure. Without a physical access point, Crypto risks becoming an exclusive, insider-only system, rather than the open alternative it sets up.
Everyone loves to talk about decentralization. There is a good reason behind this. Define movement, shape technology and support the vision of a better financial system. The industry focuses on code and algorithms, but there is nothing fundamental about it. Distributed systems that exist only online are not truly decentralized.
Physical infrastructure is a missing link
Bitcoin’s physical infrastructure is a missing link. Without tools like traditional retail ATMs, kiosks, access points, and more, cryptography remains out of reach for millions of people. Decentralization is not just about removing intermediaries. True decentralization requires greater access. Without a real touchpoint, even the most sophisticated networks are limited to closed circles of insiders.
Recently: Arizona Governor Kills Two Crypto Bitcoin ATMs
For crypto to become mainstream, it must be easily reached digitally and physically. It means that people appear in places where they are already going and seamlessly integrated into people’s lives. Many groups in the US population are still dependent on cash or have no access to traditional banks. According to the latest Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation report, approximately 5.6 million American households do not have banks or savings accounts. Bitcoin ATMs can access these users without the need for apps, bank accounts or blockchain crash courses. Most cryptographic tools today envision a level of financial flow and infrastructure that millions simply don’t have. As a result, digital-only ecosystems lock new entrants and widen the gap between early adopters and everyone else.
User-friendly screens in the right place
Physical infrastructure can help you address this issue. Bitcoin ATMs at grocery stores and gas stations are not just convenience, they are a bridge to financial inclusion. This is an invitation to anyone who has never purchased a code and tells them they can participate. Both banks and brokers are just user-friendly screens in familiar locations.
These machines also create new economic activity. As kiosks generate passive revenue, local businesses benefit from an increase in pedestrians. Many communities provide access to a parallel financial system that was previously out of reach. This is a concrete example of the actual utility in Crypto. It’s already happening and is measurable.
Death angle of the crypto industry
The industry often treats physical infrastructure like an afterthought. The obsession with building new digital solutions has created blind spots. Inexpensive innovations create systems that serve a small number but exclude many. If you can buy Bitcoin (BTC) in the same place as someone buys your morning coffee, that is, it stops the cryptos from feeling like an obscure digital asset and starts to become part of your daily life.
As governments expand regulations, trustworthy, transparent interfaces become more important. When operating within a regulatory framework, Bitcoin ATMs provide a way to provide access between traditional financial and digital assets. They provide familiar, easy to monitor and more accessible entry points for the public.
Like other financial tools, Bitcoin ATMs have elicited scrutiny, especially when bad actors use them. Rather than dismissing the machine itself, we should focus on better surveillance, stronger consumer education, and investing in smarter regulations. The vast majority of people using Bitcoin ATMs do so for good reason. It involves sending remittances, moving money securely, and accessing digital assets without traditional banking barriers. Building trust does not mean avoiding or dismantling physical access, it means improving it.
When someone first uses Bitcoin, it should not involve reading the white paper or navigating the tutorial. You should be as familiar as using an ATM or tapping on a payment device. This is not a discussion of innovation. Software and protocols continue to evolve and play an important role. Physical infrastructure provides what those tools can’t: trust through existence. If people can see and use cryptography in their neighborhood, then in a store they have already visited or in a form they already understand, it changes how they think about cryptography 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 it’s still just a small step towards widespread access.
Crypto’s long-term success depends not only on innovation but also on inclusion. That means building more than just a network. It means building existence. When people can interact with cryptography in the physical world, it stops being abstract and becomes easier to use. That’s how digital finance becomes the financial aspect of everyday life.
Opinion: Scott Buchanan, Chief Operating Officer of Bitcoin Depot.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not intended to be considered legal or investment advice, and should not be done. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect or express Cointregraph’s views and opinions.
