VIRTUAL CURRENCY KIOSKS
Sponsored By: Cathy Tilton (Republican)
Became Law
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Full kiosk refunds for fraud victims
Beginning October 1, 2026, Alaska kiosk operators must refund fraud victims the full amount paid, including transaction fees. Refunds must be in the currency originally paid. You must notify the operator within 90 days after your last affected transaction or learning of the fraud, whichever is later. Within 120 days after contacting the operator, you must submit a police report, department report, or sworn statement detailing the fraud. These requests follow the law's kiosk refund rules, not the general state refund provision.
Clearer costs and warnings for kiosk users
Beginning October 1, 2026, Alaska kiosk operators must clearly disclose terms, charges, exchange rates, fraud warnings, and virtual-currency risks. They must use the user's chosen language, obtain acknowledgment, and provide operator and fraud-reporting contacts. Each transaction requires paper and electronic receipts showing operator contacts, transaction type, value, date, time, fees, exchange rate, and refund policy. Receipts must also include any virtual-currency addresses and transaction hashes; the department can require additional information. Each kiosk must display a scam warning and toll-free help number, and disclosures do not cancel fraud refund rights.
Kiosk users get a fee cap
Beginning October 1, 2026, Alaska kiosk operators cannot collect total transaction fees above 10% of the transaction's value. The cap uses the value in U.S. dollars or its equivalent in virtual currency.
Live help in kiosk users' languages
Beginning October 1, 2026, Alaska kiosk operators must provide live help during operating hours, including 8:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Alaska time. They must display a toll-free customer-service number on the kiosk or its screen. Written notices must be in both English and Spanish. Operators must communicate in each user's preferred language through staff, interpreters, or other communication aids.
More state and local kiosk oversight
Beginning October 1, 2026, Alaska operators must report each kiosk's identity, location, service dates, service address, and suspicious declines quarterly. Reports are due within 45 days after quarter-end; annual reports covering the previous year are due March 31. Annual reports include revenue, complaints, transaction counts and values, refunds, compliance contacts, location totals, and federal suspicious-activity report totals. Operators must supply requested user or transaction data; the state keeps underlying data private, permits investigative disclosures, and publishes combined annual summaries. Municipalities can keep or adopt stronger kiosk protections, requirements, or restrictions that do not directly conflict with state kiosk law.
Stronger kiosk fraud prevention and investigations
Beginning October 1, 2026, Alaska kiosk operators must take reasonable steps against fraud and money laundering and follow the federal Bank Secrecy Act. Their written policy must assess risks, set safeguards, assign monitoring duties, and require regular reviews. Operators must give each location state-approved training materials annually on scams, illegal kiosk use, and financial abuse, and maintain training records. They cannot stop location staff from warning users about fraud and scams. Operators must maintain a monitored U.S.-based agency contact and provide tracing results and blockchain analysis help for requested fraud investigations.
Kiosk users face new transaction limits
Beginning October 1, 2026, an Alaska kiosk operator cannot accept more than $1,000 from one user per calendar day. The same operator cannot accept more than $10,000 from that user in any 30-day period. Both limits include virtual-currency equivalents and cover all the operator's products. Operators must prevent users from bypassing the limits through alternative products, online purchases, or over-the-counter platforms.
Kiosk operators need licenses, face penalties
Beginning October 1, 2026, Alaska treats kiosk operation as money transmission. Operators need a state money transmission license before conducting or offering kiosk transactions for another person. They must register kiosk locations and obtain prior approval from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Violations count as unfair or deceptive acts and are subject to criminal, civil, and administrative penalties. Unlicensed or noncompliant operators can face license action, kiosk seizure, and forfeiture of Alaska customer fees collected during the violation.
Kiosk fraud checks restrict some transactions
Beginning October 1, 2026, Alaska operators must verify identity before accepting payment and copy the user's government-issued ID. They must collect the user's true name, birth date, phone number, address, and email. Transactions under another name, account, or identity are barred; operators are strictly liable for violations, regardless of fault. Operators must use blockchain screening and tracing software to detect illicit patterns and help prevent transfers to fraud-linked wallets. They must block wallets tied to overseas exchanges inaccessible to U.S. users and show proof of current software use when requested.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Cathy Tilton
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Jesse Bjorkman
Republican • Senate
Matt Claman
Democratic • Senate
Mike Cronk
Republican • Senate
Forrest Dunbar
Democratic • Senate
Alyse Galvin
Not • House
Cathy Giessel
Republican • Senate
Andrew Gray
Democratic • House
Elvi Gray-Jackson
Democratic • Senate
Carolyn Hall
Democratic • House
Andy Josephson
Democratic • House
James Kaufman
Republican • Senate
Scott Kawasaki
Democratic • Senate
Kevin McCabe
Republican • House
Donna Mears
Democratic • House
Kelly Merrick
Republican • Senate
Robert Myers
Republican • Senate
George Rauscher
Republican • Senate
Bert Stedman
Republican • Senate
Gary Stevens
Republican • Senate
Loki Tobin
Democratic • Senate
Frank Tomaszewski
Republican • House
Sarah Vance
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
Actions Timeline
(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 10/1/26
7/16/2026Senate(S) LAW W/O GOVERNOR SIGNATURE 6/30 CHAPTER 50 SLA 26
7/16/2026Senate(S) 3:55 P.M. 6/15/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR
6/15/2026Senate(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
5/20/2026Senate(S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y20 N-
5/20/2026Senate(S) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND TAKEN UP
5/20/2026Senate(H) VERSION: HCS CSSB 249(L&C)
5/19/2026House(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) AS AMENDED
5/19/2026House(H) VANCE
5/19/2026House(H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): GRAY, HALL, TOMASZEWSKI, JOSEPHSON, GALVIN, MCCABE, MEARS,
5/19/2026House(H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
5/19/2026House(H) PASSED Y40
5/19/2026House(H) READ THE THIRD TIME HCS CSSB 249(L&C)
5/19/2026House(H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC
5/19/2026House(H) L&C HCS ADOPTED UC
5/19/2026House(H) READ THE SECOND TIME
5/19/2026House(H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/19/2026
5/19/2026House(H) FN1: ZERO(CED)
5/14/2026House(H) AM: SADDLER
5/14/2026House(H) DP: FRIER, COULOMBE, CARRICK, FIELDS, HALL
5/14/2026House(H) L&C RPT HCS(L&C) 5DP 1AM
5/14/2026House(H) Moved HCS CSSB 249(L&C) Out of Committee -- Recessed to 08:00 am 5/14--
5/13/2026House(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
5/13/2026House(H) L&C
5/13/2026House(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
5/13/2026House
Bill Text
Enrolled SB 249
5/20/2026
HCS CSSB 249(L&C)
5/14/2026
CSSB 249(JUD) am
5/12/2026
CSSB 249(JUD)
4/27/2026
CSSB 249(L&C)
3/18/2026
SB 249
2/18/2026