Bitcoin ATMs are coming to a gas station near you

A LibertyX Bitcoin ATM is seen at the Grassy Point Bar & Grill in Broad Channel, New York, U.S. March 8, 2021. REUTERS/Lauren LaCapra

(Reuters) - A new feature has appeared at smoke shops in Montana, gas stations in the Carolinas and delis in far-flung corners of New York City: a brightly-lit bitcoin ATM, where customers can buy or sell digital currency, and sometimes extract hard cash.

The machines have multiplied quickly through the United States over the past year, fueled by a frenzy in crypto trading that sent bitcoin prices over $58,000.