Crypto
What to know about the proposed crackdowns on crypto ATMs in Illinois
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wants legislation to address scams and money-laundering schemes facilitated through cryptocurrency ATMs, which convert traditional currency into cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin and vice versa.
Crypto ATMs have been in Chicago since 2014, but they are receiving more scrutiny as cryptocurrency has gained legitimacy under the Trump administration.
Unlike the bills in your wallet, cryptocurrency doesn’t have a set value. Instead, the “value of a dollar” is constantly changing. Bitcoin is the most popular of the new currency, but there are other types, like Ethereum.
The lack of centralization for cryptocurrency means that crypto payments do not come with legal protections and are typically not reversible. Crypto ATMs are not currently regulated by either the state or federal government. Pritzker wants to establish a daily transaction limit for crypto ATMs, cap exorbitant usage fees and require receipts showing the dollar value of digital assets and fees.
Here’s what you should know about crypto ATMs and the concern surrounding criminal activity.
A bitcoin ATM located inside a smoke shop in Irving Park, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
How many crypto ATMs are in Chicago?
In Illinois, there are more than 1,600 crypto ATMs — 1,167 of which are in Chicago. The machines are found at currency exchanges, convenience stores and gas stations.
Unlike a traditional ATM, crypto ATM users can buy cryptocurrency with traditional currency, like cash or a credit card. The user can send crypto to other people through the machine or exchange their crypto for traditional money.
How are crypto ATMs being used for scams and money laundering?
Because crypto is not overseen by the government or banks, it is easy to quickly move large amounts of money across borders. Crypto ATMs have helped drug dealers and human traffickers to launder money, officials say.
Scams involving crypto ATMs are also a concern. One popular scam is known as “pig butchering,” where criminals coax people to convert their cash and send crypto by posing as love interests. Other scams prey on older adults, asking them to send crypto to help a family member or pay a government debt.
While crypto transactions can be traced and tracked in ways that cash cannot, crypto ATM scam victims may not be able to recover their money.
In March 2023, Sonny Meraban, the founder and chief executive of Illinois-based Bitcoin of America, was accused of turning a blind eye to scammers who got their victims to send them cryptocurrency through the company’s ATMs.
Are crypto ATMs regulated in Illinois?
Last September, Illinois legislators proposed forcing operators to register crypto ATMs with the state and cap usage fees. However, the legislation died in the Senate without a vote.
State lawmakers said they were wary of regulating cryptocurrency because they thought the federal government should take the lead, and state regulations might provide a “stamp of approval” to an industry they don’t consider completely legitimate. However, if the federal government doesn’t do anything to regulate crypto, the Illinois General Assembly may take action to protect consumers.
What are Trump’s plans for cryptocurrency?
Then Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference on July 27, 2024.
In 2021, then-former President Donald Trump called Bitcoin a “scam,” but he’s since changed his mind. Last September, Trump announced a new cryptocurrency venture, World Liberty Financial, in a partnership with his two oldest sons.
Currently, there is no federal framework to regulate crypto. Companies that operate bitcoin ATMs must register with the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, though not every firm follows the rules. However, states have used their own authority to attempt to control crypto transactions.
Now, Trump has promised to deregulate cryptocurrency in a push to grow the industry. Last month, he signed an executive order aiming to “support the responsible growth and use of digital assets, blockchain technology and related technologies across all sectors of the economy.”
Mendy Kong is a digital producer at WBEZ. Follow them @ngogejat.
Crypto
LAB Token Crashes 80% to $1.25 as $5B Market Cap Vanishes in 48 Hours
Key Takeaways
- LAB token cratered 90% over 48 hours, wiping out billions in market cap.
- ZachXBT slammed top centralized exchanges for failing to halt the July manipulation.
- Investors surged to avoid trading LAB as team token unlocks are set for later in July 2026.
LAB Trade Blames ‘Large Market Participants’
LAB, the native token of the multi-chain trading platform LAB Trade, suffered a catastrophic collapse this week, plunging from just over $7 to $1.25 on Wednesday—a staggering 80% decline in under 24 hours. This crash followed an equally brutal sell-off on Tuesday, which saw the token slide from nearly $17. In total, LAB wiped out nearly 90% of its value in just 48 hours.
The financial fallout was swift: a market capitalization that exceeded $5 billion on Tuesday morning evaporated to just $390 million by 3:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday. The freefall prompted the LAB Trade team to address the panic on X, where they expressed disappointment and deflected blame toward external heavy-sellers:
“While today’s market activity is disappointing, our product roadmap and long-term focus remain unchanged. We’re seeing significant selling pressure from large market participants. Several independent trading firms also hold substantial LAB positions that are not affiliated with our team. We’re working closely with our liquidity partners and continue to monitor market conditions,” the team said on X.
With this crash, LAB joins a notorious lineup of volatile tokens, such as RAVE, RIVER and SIREN. Each of these projects experienced meteoric rises followed by near-instantaneous erasures, sparking widespread “pump-and-dump” allegations against their respective teams and murky distribution networks.
Crypto Sleuth Slams Centralized Exchanges
Prominent on-chain detective ZachXBT, who previously flagged suspicious insider loans and market-maker coordination back in May, blasted major centralized exchanges ( CEXs) for failing to protect retail investors. Taking to X, ZachXBT criticized the lack of proactive intervention:
“Disappointing to see how no action was taken by Binance, Bitget, and Gate earlier to prevent it. If CEXs cared, profits from the accounts manipulating the price would be distributed to users at a minimum. Unlocks for investors were scheduled to begin later this month, however, multiple late vesting changes occurred in the past.”
ZachXBT reiterated his previous warnings that insiders have effectively controlled the entire circulating supply, allowing market makers to orchestrate extreme price manipulation on major exchanges. His final advice to the community was blunt: avoid trading LAB under any circumstances.
ZachXBT Names RAVE, RIVER, SIREN, and LAB as Victims of Bitget-Enabled Market Maker Fraud
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has renewed his assault on Bitget, accusing the exchange of knowingly enabling market makers to run supply…
ZachXBT Names RAVE, RIVER, SIREN, and LAB as Victims of Bitget-Enabled Market Maker Fraud
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has renewed his assault on Bitget, accusing the exchange of knowingly enabling market makers to run supply…
ZachXBT Names RAVE, RIVER, SIREN, and LAB as Victims of Bitget-Enabled Market Maker Fraud
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has renewed his assault on Bitget, accusing the exchange of knowingly enabling market makers to run supply…
Crypto
Residents question proposed crypto mining center
STARKVILLE – Potentially higher utility bills and sound pollution topped the list of concerns raised by six residents who addressed the board of aldermen Tuesday about a cryptocurrency mining facility proposed for Industrial Park Road.
Vice Mayor Roy Perkins, who represents Ward 6, said he has fielded similar concerns from constituents following the board’s June 12 work session, during which members heard a presentation about the potential project.
“I know these things need to have full accountability, full transparency and different things,” Perkins said. “… Well you can rest assured the vice mayor is going to be on assignment. I’m going to do my part. I’m not going to do anything that’s going to negatively impact this community.”
The proposed facility would be a specialized type of data center designed to mine cryptocurrency, a digital currency that operates independently of government-backed financial systems. It is stored in digital wallets and fluctuates in value.
Mining facilities use specialized computers that draw large energy loads to secure the digital transactions that take place. The center proposed in Starkville would be much smaller than “hyperscale data centers” that store and process data for large tech companies.
Utility usage topped the concerns of most residents with Pam Jones, the first to speak, set the tone.
“I understand that this is on a smaller scale than the hyper-scale facilities, and I just wanted to be sure that we had ordinances in place that will count the noise, especially at night and that there will be water and power management,” Jones said.
Other residents took issue with what they see as a lack of transparency around the proposed project.
“I was quite disappointed to learn (the mining facility) was not an agenda item today,” said Eadie Keenan, a Ward 7 resident. “… Quite frankly, I have more questions than can fit in three minutes.”
Tiffany Womack, another Starkville resident, echoed Kennan’s concerns, adding utility usage and market volatility to her own list of issues.
“If (the center was) to go bankrupt or something like that, would that possibly fall back on the responsibility of Starkville citizens?” Womack asked.
Mayor Lynn Spruill did not answer each question individually, instead encouraging those with questions to watch the June 12 presentation. Due to the project’s early stage, she noted the board does not yet know answers to all the questions raised during Tuesday’s meeting.
“I brought (the center) to the board as an opportunity for us to begin that process of learning so we are nowhere near making a decision,” Spruill said. “Which is why it isn’t on the agenda and won’t be on the agenda for some time.”
Spruill said the proposed center is currently going through the staff vetting process. Once the process is complete, staff will make a recommendation to the board on whether to pursue the center. At that time, Spruill expects to be able to answer residents’ remaining questions.
Spruill said transparency is important to her and the board while going through the process of vetting the mining center.
“Nothing is being hidden. It’s all out there for everybody to see, and we’ll make decisions based on facts not on Facebook craziness,” Spruill said. “… We want facts, and we want all decisions to be made with facts. And so hopefully that will put some of your concerns (to rest), at least to the extent that this is nowhere near something that will be on the agenda.”
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Crypto
Jim Rickards Asked Robert Kiyosaki to Read One Manuscript, Then His View of Global Finance Changed
Key Takeaways
- Robert Kiyosaki said a manuscript shared by Jim Rickards changed how he views global finance.
- Kiyosaki warned commonly held financial assets could face pressure as financial rules shift across markets.
- His claims remain warnings, with evidence and future market developments still central.
Why Did One Manuscript Change Robert Kiyosaki’s View?
Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the best-selling personal finance book Rich Dad Poor Dad, said an advance manuscript of “The Entropy Trap” shared by Jim Rickards prompted him to rethink how he views global finance. Rickards is an economist, lawyer, and financial commentator known for writing about currencies, debt, and systemic market risk. Kiyosaki said the early reading changed his perspective on where the financial system may be headed.
The reaction was framed around a warning about financial change. The book, written by Mickey M. Maini, “blew my mind and opened my eyes to what & why global financial change is coming,” Kiyosaki described. His comments focused on what he described as a shift in the rules behind wealth, assets, and trust.
The central claim is that wealth could move away from people relying on traditional financial assumptions. Kiyosaki asserted:
“The informed will be tomorrow’s ULTRA RICH. Todays uniformed operating by the old rules of money… will become the new poor.”
The Warning Behind the Claim
The warning centers on assets that depend on trust, including U.S. bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and mutual funds. Kiyosaki framed those instruments as vulnerable under the financial shift he says is coming, placing commonly held investment products at the center of the risk.
That claim is severe, but he presented it as a warning rather than a proven outcome. He also pointed to large bondholders, including Japan, saying they have already started dumping U.S. bonds. He did not provide supporting data in the statement.
The acclaimed author shared:
“Message from book… ‘All assets that require trust, assets that most people have… such as U.S. bonds, ETFs, mutual funds will be flushed down toilets, all over the world.’”
The broader conflict is whether traditional financial assets remain reliable under the conditions Kiyosaki described. His framing divides investors between those preparing for a changed financial system and those still operating under assumptions he says may no longer hold.
What Still Needs to Be Proven
A planned August study session could clarify the warning Kiyosaki described. He said his study team would examine the message and that Rickards may join, though the evidence behind the claims has not yet been laid out.
For now, the warning rests on Kiyosaki’s account of a manuscript that changed his view. He urged readers to prepare, writing:
“I want you to be one of the world’s new rich.”
What remains unknown is whether market data, policy moves, or investor behavior will confirm the risk he described.
His recent commentary has focused on what he describes as fragility in the global monetary system, particularly around the U.S. dollar. He has pointed to rising debt, central bank policies, and inflation as risks that could trigger a sharp market downturn.
Alongside those concerns, he has repeatedly highlighted bitcoin, gold, and silver as alternative stores of value. In his view, those assets may help reduce exposure to traditional financial instruments during periods of currency weakness and market turbulence.
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