Washington state’s Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) has ordered Bitcoin ATM operator Coinme to halt all money transmission services and repay over $8 million to customers. The regulator issued a Temporary Cease and Desist Order on December 1, 2025, alleging the Seattle-based firm illegally converted unredeemed customer funds into corporate revenue.

The DFI’s investigation found that Coinme required customers to purchase paper vouchers at kiosks and redeem them online. When vouchers went unredeemed within a specific timeframe, Coinme allegedly claimed the outstanding balances as its own income, a violation of the state’s Uniform Money Services Act.

“Washington’s money transmission laws exist to protect consumers that rely on licensed companies to safely transmit funds,” DFI Director Charlie Clark stated.

Is Bitcoin ATM Operator Coinme About to Lose Its License?

The order also charges that from 2020 to 2025, Coinme failed to maintain its legally required tangible net worth, submitted inaccurate reports, and did not properly disclose redemption timeframes to users.

Coinme now faces a potential revocation of its state money transmitter license, a $300,000 fine, and a possible 10-year industry ban for the company and its CEO, Neil Bergquist. The company has 20 days to request a hearing before the order becomes permanent.

In a statement, Coinme Chief Compliance Officer Ben Enea said the company is cooperating with regulators.

The Institutional Take

This action against Coinme is a significant escalation in the regulatory campaign targeting the operational grey areas of crypto-to-fiat gateways. For institutional desks, the key risk is not the solvency of one ATM operator but the precedent it sets for the treatment of customer funds held in limbo.

Regulators are clearly signaling an end to the tolerance of treating unclaimed crypto assets as breakage or miscellaneous income. This move pressures all consumer-facing crypto services to tighten their accounting, escheatment, and disclosure policies, introducing new compliance overhead that could compress margins for the entire sector.

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Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse predicts the Bitcoin price will reach $180,000 by the end of 2026. The forecast was made during a panel at Binance Blockchain Week in Dubai.

At the time of the panel, Bitcoin was trading near $93,342, down approximately 0.6% over the prior 24 hours and about 26% off its recent all-time high of over $126,000.

Solana’s Lily Liu With A More Conservative Bitcoin Price Forecast

The Binance Blockchain Week offered other industry leaders on the panel the chance to venture their Bitcoin price predictions.

Binance CEO Richard Teng declined to provide a specific price target. He emphasized the importance of long-term fundamentals over short-term price movements.

Solana Foundation President Lily Liu gave a more measured forecast, predicting Bitcoin would trade above $100,000 by the end of 2026.

Garlinghouse attributed his bullish stance to improving regulatory clarity in the U.S. and the accelerating entry of major financial institutions like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton into the digital asset market.

The differing forecasts from leaders of three major crypto organizations highlight ongoing uncertainty about the valuations of digital assets. This conversation took place as the market dealt with a significant deleveraging event, where recent volatility eliminated billions in leveraged positions.

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MetaMask rolled out a paid security subscription called ‘Transaction Shield’ this Tuesday that promises to refund users if its threat detection tools fail. The service costs $9.99 per month and offers up to $10,000 in coverage for transactions the wallet incorrectly flags as “safe.”

The feature targets the anxiety of signing malicious contracts—a vector that can drain millions from users, as seen in the case of this victim, who lost over $3 million in August 2025. The way the new “Transaction Shield” works is simple: if the system gives a transaction the green light but funds are stolen, MetaMask pays.

The Fine Print – What Is Not Covered by the MetaMask Transaction Shield?

The coverage is specific. It applies to assets lost during the interaction itself—such as a drainer contract masking as a mint. It does not cover:

• Compromised Keys: If a user loses their seed phrase or falls for a phishing site that steals credentials, the payout is zero.
• Protocol Hacks: If Aave or Uniswap get exploited after the deposit, MetaMask is not liable.
• Market Volatility: Slippage and price crashes are on the user.

Coverage is capped at $10,000 monthly across 100 eligible transactions. Claims must be filed within 21 days, with payouts settled in mUSD within roughly 15 business days.

Market Context

The service supports major EVM chains including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Polygon, BNB Chain, and Base. It is currently available only on the browser extension, with mobile support pending.

This move signals a pivot for wallet providers from passive tools to active, paid guardians. By monetizing security, MetaMask creates a recurring revenue stream while addressing the primary barrier to entry for retail capital: fear of the “Sign” button.

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