On March 25, Utah’s governor signed into law HB 72, the “Criminal Use of Cryptocurrency Amendments,” effective May 6, which creates consumer protections for virtual currency kiosks and requires specialized cryptocurrency investigation training for law enforcement.

The bill establishes consumer protection requirements for virtual currency kiosks, including graduated transaction limits ($2,000 per day during the first three days, then $5,000 per day thereafter), disclosure requirements, and fraud prevention warnings in English and Spanish stating that transactions are irreversible and no government official will ever request payment through a kiosk. Operators must provide receipts containing transaction details, fees, exchange rates, and refund policies; and maintain a 24-hour toll-free customer service line. The law requires operators to submit annual location reports to the Division of Consumer Protection and notify the division within 30 days of installing or removing a kiosk. A violation constitutes a deceptive act or practice under the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act, and the division may impose administrative fines of up to $2,500 per violation.

The bill also requires each local law enforcement agency, beginning July 1, to ensure at least one officer completes specialized cryptocurrency investigation training every three years and imposes various reporting requirements on local law enforcement agencies and the Division of Securities, subject to legislative sunset review and set to be repealed July 1, 2030.