Money Spinners: Robocoin Goes Global, Altcoins Join the Fun

Take out your smartphones and get those palms warmed up for a scanning, because it’s time for CoinDesk’s weekly bitcoin ATM roundup.

After today’s price slump you probably can’t buy bitcoins with your Chinese bank account and your local face-to-face trader has gone into hiding.

If you’re lucky, though, a nearby machine will help you out.

Every week, these bitcoin-trading machines grow in number. This week’s roundup includes more exotic locales, unexpected events, and at least three altcoins.

Bitcoiniacs and Cointrader.net

Canadian companies Bitcoiniacs and Cointrader.net, who together launched the world’s first Robocoin bitcoin ATM in Vancouver last year, announced they would be expanding their venture globally and have partnered with several bitcoin groups around the world. Their machines are currently being rolled out in the locations below.

London, UK

One of the first partnerships is with UK company QuickBitcoin, who installed their Robocoin in e-cig and coffee shop The Vape Lab, near Liverpool Street Station. The machine is actually London’s third electronic bitcoin dispenser, joining another Robocoin and a Lamassu machine. Proprietors Pierre Durand and Jonathan Cadeilhan said:

“We are very happy to welcome their first bitcoin ATM of the UK into our shop, we put all our efforts to keep the The Vape Lab at the forefront of ingenuity and creativity.”

“The process of buying and selling bitcoin in the UK just got much easier,” said Cointrader’s co-founder Mitchell Demeter. “We now offer our clients four different ways to trade.”

Bucharest, Romania

Another of the joint venture’s Robocoin machines was installed in Bucharest, Romania, on 18th April in collaboration with local group Bitcoin Romania. It’s reportedly the first in continental Europe.

The group said its machine is currently undergoing tests, and they hope to have it fully operational soon.

Texas, USA

Entrepreneur Sheldon Weisfeld is also taking a Robocoin on tour for his company Coinvault, driving around Texas with the machine in a trailer. Coinvault has already installed two Robocoin machines in Texas, one at the Central Texas Gun Works in Austin, and Brave New Books bookstore near UT Austin.

Sheldon from @CoinVaultATM getting interviewed. #bitcoin @Vtechp @bitxbitxbitcoin @jamesduchenne @TXCoinitiative pic.twitter.com/PUcGlPUqLA

– Kevin Moore (@aggiebitcoin) 12 April 2014

Hong Kong

Hong Kong already has two one-way Lamassu kiosks, but it’s about to take the next step. Company Coinnect is debuting a two-way Genesis1 machine it calls a ‘Bitcoin Exchange Kiosk’ at its training room at 100 Cyberport Road, Hong Kong on 25th April.

Whistler, BC Canada

Logicoins has deployed a Genesis1 machine in a flotation therapy center in the tourist resort town of Whistler, British Columbia.

The machine, which also trades in litecoin and dogecoin, is part of Logicoins’ ‘Resort Project’ that aims to put bitcoin ATMs in locations where people are also likely to spend digital currencies: namely, vacation destinations.

Moscow, Russia

It may not be permanently installed yet, but for a country usually famous for bitcoin prohibitions it’s a start. At the Bitcoin Conference Russia on 23rd April, local company CoinSpot demonstrated a Lamassu one-way kiosk to participants.

A top Russian Bitcoin news source: @CoinSpot has brought one of the first Bitcoin ATM machines to Moscow! pic.twitter.com/9cCndiktcI

– Roger Ver (@rogerkver) 23 April 2014

Had enough bitcoin ATM stories?

Then we have a bonus item for you. Not only does London have three functioning bitcoin kiosks, it seems even the altcoins are joining in the fun with this feathercoin vending machine. What’s more, it even accepts actual coins!