The company behind multiple bitcoin ATMs in Whatcom County has been issued a temporary cease-and-desist order by the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions.

CoinMe, the Seattle-based company behind Coinstar kiosks, allegedly claimed more than $8 million owed to customers as its own income and violated the Uniform Money Services Act. Eight of the cryptocurrency-exchanging kiosks are located in Whatcom County grocery stores, including Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and Blaine sites.

Customers can use the kiosks to purchase paper vouchers to be redeemed as cryptocurrency on CoinMe’s website or mobile app, according to DFI. Between January 2023 and December 2024, CoinMe allegedly claimed the amounts owed to consumers as its own if they didn’t redeem the vouchers within a certain

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