Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/bitcoin-I0TDRP0fj6Y
Costco is installing Bitcoin ATMs in some of its stores. There are 600 stores across the US, though it is not yet known how many will have the Bitcoin ATMs. A map on crypto ATM provider LibertyX’s website shows its ATMs are at Costco warehouses in some states. As more locations adopt these machines, they could make it easier for consumers to purchase Bitcoin at real-time Bitcoin prices.
What’s a Bitcoin ATM?
As described by LibertyX’s blog, a Bitcoin ATM is a “device or machine that sells Bitcoin”. Bitcoin ATMs include traditional ATMs where you can buy Bitcoin using a debit card and cash kiosks where you can buy Bitcoin using cash. The availability of these machines comes at a time when the Bitcoin price has seen significant fluctuations, influenced by factors like regulatory policies and market trends.
LibertyX’s Bitcoin ATMs include traditional ATMs, Bitcoin cashiers, and Bitcoin kiosks. Bitcoin ATMs have become increasingly common across the country as crypto has become more mainstream. You can use one of the ATMs by creating a LibertyX account on the app, providing your Bitcoin wallet address, and selecting a location. The fee is 8% in most cities, and the Bitcoin price is shown at the top of the app and updated in real time.
How has the Bitcoin price changed so far this year?
During his presidential campaign last year, Trump promised to make the country the “crypto capital of the planet.” His support for crypto led to the Bitcoin price soaring to a historic high of over $100,000, closing at over $104k multiple days in January.
Mike Novogratz, described as a “crypto billionaire”, has said Trump’s “entire cabinet almost owns bitcoin, and are proponents of digital assets. The people around that table are very pro this space. They’re pro-innovation, they’re pro-digital assets, they’re pro-bitcoin”.
Trump was initially against cryptocurrencies; in his first term he said Bitcoin was “not money” and “based on thin air.” However, in January 2025, he launched his meme coin called $TRUMP shortly before he took office. The coins started selling for $10 each before quickly rising to $70. There were initially 200 million coins available and plans to issue another billion over the next three years.
Political and Economic Factors Impacting Bitcoin’s Price
More recently, the reluctance from Trump’s crypto task force to commit to establishing a Bitcoin reserve is said to have influenced a dip in price. Bitcoin has still closed at over $96k every day in February at the time of writing.
David Sacks, Trump’s crypto czar, has discussed digital asset policy with Republican policymakers. Bitcoin’s price fell following Sacks’ press conference on February 5, reportedly due to a lack of immediate policy changes in favor of crypto.
International politics have also affected bitcoin’s price. In a recent article shared on Yahoo Finance, Barron’s said that Trump’s new tariffs were “dragging down cryptos”.
Tariffs
ABC News likewise reported on crypto prices taking a hit “from the prospect of a trade war between the U.S. and major trading partners”. Trump had announced plans for large tariffs on goods from China, Canada, and Mexico. Trump warned that US citizens may feel “some pain” but the tariffs would be “worth the price”.
Ethereum, Dogecoin, and other currencies fell along with Bitcoin. Reuters reported on ether’s drop of “nearly 25% in value” from January 31 to February 3, “marking its biggest three-day loss since November 2022.” Trump’s meme coin also dropped.
The Financial Times reported that traders were shying “away from riskier assets” after Trump’s tariffs announcement. According to FT, Geoff Kendrick of Standard Chartered, said that there is “good Trump and bad Trump” and that the “good version” is him promising regulatory changes, referring to Trump’s promises during his campaign last year. The “bad” Trump, according to Kendrick, “is things like tariffs and more volatile markets, which is . . . less helpful”.
Tyler Hogge, of Pelion Venture Partners, was quoted as saying, “Trump said no one has to pay taxes on gains in crypto and then got rid of all the gains”.
However, as CNBC reported on February 2, bitcoin reversed earlier losses after the US delayed tariffs on Mexico. Ben Kurland, CEO at the crypto research platform DYOR, said bitcoin “holding up” better than other currencies “reinforces its position as the safest bet in crypto”. He says that when investors panic, liquidity tends to flow to bitcoin – evidence that it is “the industry’s reserve asset.”
In the long run, the tariffs may turn out to be good news for bitcoin. The head of alpha strategies at Bitwise Asset Management, Jeff Park, says a sustained tariff war would eventually weaken the dollar and US rates, in turn strengthening bitcoin.
Chairman at MicroStrategy (now Strategy, with a “B” in its logo to reflect its focus on Bitcoin), Michael Saylor, has forecast Bitcoin to hit $13 million by 2045.
Are Bitcoin ATMs popular?
Statista has reported that bitcoin ATMs worldwide increased by more than 3.5% between February 2024 and February 2025. There are over 38,000 bitcoin ATMs. Approximately 83% of these are in North America, with the US having the highest number. Canada, the UK, and Austria follow.
According to Business Insider, “LibertyX says it operates more than 30,000 ATMs and retail stores in 44 states.”
It’s advised to choose an ATM with high ratings, that displays contact details, and provides a fee schedule.
Conclusion
The introduction of Bitcoin ATMs at Costco highlights the growing mainstream adoption of cryptocurrency, offering a convenient way for users to purchase Bitcoin at real-time prices. As Bitcoin continues to experience price volatility driven by political and economic factors, accessible on-ramps like these ATMs could encourage wider participation in the crypto market.
While regulatory uncertainty remains a key challenge, the increasing presence of Bitcoin ATMs suggests that digital assets are becoming an integral part of everyday financial transactions. Whether for investment or everyday use, the ability to buy Bitcoin at a familiar retail giant like Costco marks another step toward the normalization of cryptocurrency in the global economy.
