Nearest ATM for BTC: Your First Visit

You have found your nearest ATM for BTC and you are heading there with cash in your pocket. This guide covers what happens next — the actual sequence of screens, what each one wants from you, and the handful of things that trip people up on a first visit.

If you have not picked a machine yet, start with finding the nearest ATM for Bitcoin, which covers the locator and how to choose a location. Come back here when you know where you are going.

Before You Leave the House

Three things decide whether this takes four minutes or forty.

Your wallet, already installed and set up. Not "downloaded", set up — opened, recovery phrase written down, and showing a receive address. Standing at a machine creating a wallet on public Wi-Fi with a queue behind you is the worst possible time to do it. If you do not have one yet, read what are crypto wallets first.
Your government photo ID. The physical card, not a photo of it. First-time users complete verification on their own phone, and doing it online beforehand gets it out of the way. Most verifications finish in under a minute, though some need an extra check and a manual review, which is handled during business hours.
Cash in bills the machine takes. Canadian notes only. No coins, no cards, no cheques — our ATMs are cash-in, crypto-out.

Also worth knowing: you cannot sell Bitcoin at our machines. They are buy-only. Selling is handled online, with the payout sent by Interac e-Transfer.

What the Machine Will Ask You For

Exact wording and ordering vary between machines, but every purchase needs the same four things from you.

Your mobile number. This is how we identify you on this and every future visit, so bring the phone that number belongs to. It is also how we reach you if we do not yet have an email address for you.
ID verification, on your first purchase. The machine shows a link and a QR code — scan it and you complete verification on your own phone rather than on the machine keypad, which is faster and keeps your documents off a public screen. It covers your ID, a selfie, your address and your occupation, and for most people takes under a minute. You can also start it online before you leave home. Some customers are asked for extra checks, so if you are verifying for the first time, allow a little more time than the minimum.
Your wallet's QR code. Open your wallet, choose receive, and hold the code up to the scanner. Turn your screen brightness up first — a dim phone screen is the most common reason a scan fails.
Your cash. Canadian bills, one at a time, flat and unfolded. The running total appears on screen as each note is accepted.

Before anything is committed you will see the rate, the fee and exactly how much BTC you are getting. Read that screen. Once you confirm, the transaction cannot be undone.

Your Receipt Arrives by Email

Bitcoin4U ATM receipts are emailed rather than printed, so the machine will not hand you a slip. That means we need an email address for you. If we do not have one on your first visit, we will text you after the purchase asking you to reply with your email address — do that and your receipt follows.

If you need copies later, enter your cellphone number on the receipt page and we will email your last five receipts to the address on file. Those cover transactions of any type — ATM purchases as well as online e-Transfer, credit card, wire and Flexepin purchases and sales.

When Something Goes Wrong

Most first-visit problems are one of these.

The scanner will not read your code. Raise your screen brightness, disable auto-dimming, wipe the phone screen, and hold it steady 10–15 cm from the scanner. A cracked screen protector scatters the light and can defeat it entirely.
A note keeps being rejected. Creased, damp or worn bills often fail. Flatten it, or use a different note.
The text code does not arrive. Check your signal — many machines are inside buildings with poor reception. Stepping outside usually fixes it.
You are unsure about the rate. Cancel. Nothing is committed until you confirm, and you can walk away at any point before that.

If a transaction does not complete as expected, keep your receipt and email [email protected]. Note that Bitcoin4U never makes outbound phone calls — if someone rings claiming to be us, it is a scam. See common cryptocurrency scams.

After You Confirm

Bitcoin works a little differently from the other coins at the machine. Your BTC order joins a send queue and goes out in a batch with other orders, which keeps network fees down. (Buying online by Interac e-Transfer gives you the option to pay a priority fee and skip the queue; that choice is not offered at the ATM.) You will get an order acknowledgement by email once the buy is accepted, and then the receipt with your transaction ID once the batch is broadcast. The wait between the two varies with how busy the queue is, and it can be longer when Bitcoin network fees are high.

After the batch is broadcast, the transaction still needs network confirmation — usually about 10 to 20 minutes on top. It will show as pending in your wallet until then, which is normal.

Litecoin and Ethereum purchases are not batched: those are sent straight away.

Two things to keep in mind once it lands. The transaction is irreversible: there is no chargeback, and nobody can reverse it, so only ever buy into a wallet you control. And nobody at Bitcoin4U can recover your recovery phrase — if you lose it, the Bitcoin is gone. Safely storing Bitcoin covers how to look after it.

What It Costs

The rate and fee appear on screen before you confirm, and they vary with market conditions and by location. Current figures for every payment method are on the fees and rates page. Buying with cash at a machine generally costs more than buying online by Interac e-Transfer — you are paying for immediacy and for not needing a bank account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to book or register before visiting a Bitcoin ATM?

No. You can walk up to any Bitcoin4U machine and start. Verifying your ID online beforehand just saves you a minute at the machine on your first visit.

Do I get a printed receipt?

No. Bitcoin4U receipts are emailed to you. If you need copies later, enter your cellphone number on the receipt page and we will email your last five receipts to the address we hold for you, covering ATM and online transactions alike.

Can I use a Bitcoin ATM without a wallet?

No. The machine needs somewhere to send the Bitcoin, and that means a wallet address you control, shown as a QR code. Set the wallet up before you go rather than at the machine.

How long does the whole thing take?

Two or three minutes at the machine if you are already verified and your wallet is ready. A first-time ID check usually adds about a minute, occasionally longer if extra checks are needed. Your Bitcoin then goes into the send queue and is broadcast in a batch, followed by 10 to 20 minutes of network confirmation — but you do not wait at the machine for any of that.