2018-8-9 16:00 |
Observant people living in major urban centers might have noticed by now a new type of ATM popping up. These are called cryptocurrency ATMs, and they do not need cards to operate. They are in place to cater to the need of some crypto holders who want to quickly exchange some of their digital coins for fiat currency.
Cryptocurrency ATMs Are HereKeeping a portfolio of some of the world’s hottest cryptos is cool, trendy and even profitable at times, but there are just some daily expenses that require hard cash. And that’s why these crypto ATMs were introduced — to fill in the need for crypto holders who need to exchange their digital coins for fiat currency, pronto.
Since cryptocurrencies are now pushing their way into mainstream use, one can reasonably expect to bump into one of these ATMs sooner rather than later. According to data from Coinatmradar.com, there are now over 3,500 crypto ATMs worldwide, and the number of machines is growing fast.
More Than 8 Crypto ATMS a Day Are InstalledAccording to the site’s latest data, there are more than 8 cryptocurrency ATMs installed every day. This is based on data from the previous seven days and will rise even higher as demand for easily converting crypto to fiat increases in the future.
The data reveals that there is regional variation when it comes to crypto ATM distribution. At the moment 74.2 percent of the world’s crypto ATMs are located in North America. It is followed by Europe at 21.08 percent, Asia at 2.28 percent, Oceania at 1.45 percent and South America at 0.8 percent. Meanwhile, the African continent currently has the lowest number of these machines, with only 0.2 percent.
Bitcoin Is the Most Popular Crypto Supported by ATMsBitcoin dominates the list of supported cryptocurrencies with 99.9 percent of the machines supporting the digital currency. It is followed by Litecoin at 49.6 percent with Ethereum support coming in at 32 percent. Further down the list is Bitcoin Cash at 23.3 percent, Dash with 12.1 percent support, and 1.8 percent support for Monero.
In addition, 52.6 percent of the machines support altcoins.
Malware Targeting Bitcoin ATMs Is Now Available Concept of malware in crypto ATMs. Source: shutterstock.comThe rising popularity of crypto ATMs has not escaped the eyes of criminals as well. In fact, malware specifically targeting this type of machines is now being sold on the dark web.
According to ZDNet, such type of malware is actually being offered for around $25,000. Unfortunately, it was not revealed just how the malware’s system works, so it is unclear what steps crypto holders should make to keep their crypto ATM transactions more secure.
As more and more people learn to use and invest in cryptos, automated teller machines that allow them to convert their digital coins to actual cash will become increasingly common in the future. By demonstrating to the public the ease of conversion between fiat and cryptos, these crypto ATMs may play a bigger role in increasing the adoption of cryptocurrencies into the mainstream.
As Crypto ATMs Gain Popularity, Hackers Are Peddling Malware Targeting the Machines was originally found on [blokt] - Blockchain, Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency News.
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