WALTHAM, MA — The municipal government of Waltham has enacted a fresh regulation aimed at overseeing cryptocurrency terminals and automated teller machines within the city limits.
The Waltham City Council gave the green light to this new rule with a unanimous vote during their session on September 8th.
According to local law enforcement, this regulation will essentially prohibit the operation of cryptocurrency ATMs and self-service kiosks in Waltham businesses. Currently, these devices lack comprehensive state and national oversight, and authorities indicate they are frequently exploited in fraudulent schemes and deceptive practices.
Steven Drew contacted the Waltham Police Department in the spring of 2025 after a senior relative was defrauded of $18,000 through a cryptocurrency ATM transaction. While WPD detectives were already actively investigating numerous instances of crypto-related scams, discussions between Drew and department staff resulted in the development of alternative methods to combat this problem, officials stated.
Increased investments have been made in education, preventative measures, investigations, and the process of recouping money linked to scams and fraudulent activities, they emphasized.
In 2025, over twenty Waltham residents have formally reported combined losses exceeding $175,000 due to scams involving cryptocurrencies.
See Also