The United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) continued its crackdown on illegal Bitcoin automated teller machines (ATMs) this week, announcing it had inspected several sites in East London suspected of hosting unregistered machines.
As per an announcement by the FCA on March 8, the financial regulator stated that it had investigated several sites in the East London area alongside the Metropolitan Police, and would continue to “identify and disrupt” unregistered crypto ATM businesses in the UK.
The latest development in the FCA’s ongoing battle against illegal ATM operators follows similar raids conducted in Leeds earlier this year, alongside the West Yorkshire Police’s Digital Intelligence and Investigation Unit.
Decrypt attempted to contact the operators and manufacturers of Bitcoin ATMs operating in the UK.
No reply was received from General Bytes, one of the main manufacturers of Bitcoin ATMs in the UK and around the globe. General Bytes accounts for 25.2% of the global Bitcoin ATM market share and has the most ATM installations around the world.
Kwik-Bit, a Bitcoin ATM firm that previously operated in the London area, told Decrypt its ATM had closed down and is no longer operational. Other Bitcoin ATM operators listed in London did not reply, or couldn’t be reached through their listed numbers—some of which had been disconnected.
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Author: Greg Thomson
Tip BTC Newswire with Cryptocurrency