The first bitcoin ATM has been installed in Portsmouth, UK, at Computer Junction store in Elm Grove. The store provides repair services for digital hardware and accepts bitcoin as a payment method.

 The official launch of the first bitcoin ATM in Hampshire took place on Friday, 13th. That day the organisers distributed etched metal wallets, bitcoin scratch cards, bitcoin branded t-shirts and some free bitcoin for the visitors. Portsmouth Crypto also proposes a new name for a bitcoin ATM – Digital Vending Machine.

The new bitcoin ATM exchanges bitcoin to fiat currency and vice versa and charges 5% fees. With the ATM in Portsmouth the total number of bitcoin machines in the UK counts 26, more than a half of which are installed in London.

Portsmouth Crypto aims to sign up local traders to accept bitcoin payments in-store using Heliopay's hardware. The organisation believes this will help to create a local bitcoin network in Portsmouth.

“In the months to come Portsmouth and the surrounding area will become one of the best connected places in the UK for people who want to use digital currency,” reads the Portsmouth Crypto blogpost.

Portsmouth Crypto is a company run by Matthew Baldock, which provides hardware and software  solutions for businesses as well as support and educational programs. The local charities receive their services free of charge. 

The ATM in Portsmouth is operated by Heliopay, a UK business which offers ATMs and point-of-sale devices, and services for digital payments.

Sonya Belova