Councilors on Nov. 5 directed county staff to research whether the county can restrict or ban cryptocurrency ATMs after members of the Emergency Justice Coalition reported the machines have been used to facilitate scams that disproportionately affect older residents.

The chair summarized background from a recent EJC meeting and noted that both the city of Vancouver and the county have expressed interest in looking into the issue. Councilors referenced an example discussed at the EJC in which a victim had been scammed out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and described a sting operation that showed how cash sent through ATMs was being funneled by criminals.

Council members said the matter deserves prompt attention. Multiple councilors said they support staff examining options, including aligning county rules with the City of Vancouver or pursuing a statewide approach if that is more effective. Several members emphasized speed: one councilor said that if a statewide process is slower, the county should consider a local action while continuing to pursue state-level remedies.

The council asked Jordan and other staff to draft possible regulatory approaches and return with options for how a local restriction could work and what coordination with neighboring jurisdictions or the legislature would be required.