The Kentucky cryptocurrency ATM bill may indirectly ban self-custody hardware wallets, sparking criticism from the industry

A bill in Kentucky, USA, aimed at regulating cryptocurrency ATMs (HB380), has sparked controversy in the industry due to newly added hardware wallet-related provisions. Critics claim that the regulation may "effectively ban self-custody."

The bill originally focused on operators of virtual currency kiosks, covering licensing, compliance requirements, transaction limits, and user protection. However, in the latest revision, new provisions require hardware wallet providers to "offer mechanisms and assist users in resetting access credentials," including passwords, PINs, and recovery phrases. Industry insiders point out that this requirement conflicts with the core design of non-custodial wallets. Since private keys and recovery phrases are solely controlled by the user, wallet providers themselves cannot access or recover this information, making the provision technically difficult to implement.

Institutions like the Bitcoin Policy Institute have stated that such regulations effectively create a "backdoor" for wallets, undermining the security of crypto assets and potentially forcing users to turn to centralized custodial services. The bill still needs to be reviewed by the state Senate, and the relevant provisions may still be modified or removed.