HB 2798
AN ACT relating to disclosures and other requirements concerning virtual
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Establishes comprehensive regulations for virtual currency kiosks in Texas, requiring operators to provide clear, detailed disclosures about the risks and potential volatility of virtual currency transactions. Operators must inform customers about key risks such as lack of government backing, potential value loss, transaction irreversibility, and the absence of traditional financial protections. The law mandates specific consumer protections, including a $2,000 daily transaction limit for new customers, mandatory risk disclosures, transaction receipts, and a refund option for new customers who experience fraudulent transactions within 72 hours.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to disclosures and other requirements concerning virtual currency kiosk transactions; authorizing a fee. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 3, Finance Code, is amended by adding Chapter 161 to read as follows: CHAPTER 161. VIRTUAL CURRENCY KIOSKS Sec. 161.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Digital asset service provider" has the meaning (2) "Transaction hash" means a unique identifier consisting of a string of characters that act as a record of a transaction and provide proof that the transaction was verified and (3) "Virtual currency" has the meaning assigned by Section 12.001, Business & Commerce Code. (4) "Virtual currency kiosk" means an electronic terminal operated by a virtual currency kiosk operator in this state to enable the operator to facilitate the exchange of virtual currency for money, bank credit, or other virtual currency, (A) connecting directly to a separate virtual currency exchanger that performs the actual virtual currency (B) drawing on the virtual currency in the possession of the electronic terminal's operator. (5) "Virtual currency kiosk operator" or "operator" means a person, including a digital asset service provider, that operates a virtual currency kiosk. (6) "Virtual currency kiosk transaction" means a transaction conducted or performed, wholly or partly, by electronic means using a virtual currency kiosk. The term includes a transaction made at a virtual currency kiosk to purchase currency with fiat currency or to sell virtual currency for fiat currency. Sec. 161.002. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies to a virtual currency kiosk operator that operates a virtual currency Sec. 161.003. DISCLOSURES ON MATERIAL RISKS. (a) Before entering into an initial virtual currency kiosk transaction for, on behalf of, or with a customer and subject to Subsection (c), a virtual currency kiosk operator shall clearly and conspicuously disclose, in plain, easy to read language, at least the following material risks generally associated with virtual currency: (1) virtual currency is not legal tender and is not backed or insured by the government; (2) accounts and value balances of virtual currency are not subject to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration, or Securities Investor Protection (3) some virtual currency transactions are considered to be made only when recorded on a public ledger, which may not be the date or time when the transaction is initiated; (4) a virtual currency's value may be derived from the continued willingness of market participants to exchange fiat currency for the virtual currency, which may result in the permanent and total loss of the virtual currency's value if the market for that virtual currency disappears; (5) a customer who accepts a virtual currency as payment at the time of the transaction is not required to accept the currency as payment and may decline to accept the currency as payment in a future transaction; (6) the volatility and unpredictability of the price of virtual currency relative to fiat currency may result in a significant loss in value over a short period; (7) the nature of virtual currency means that any technological difficulties experienced by a virtual currency kiosk operator may prevent access to or use of their customers' virtual (8) any bond maintained by the virtual currency kiosk operator for the benefit of the operator's customers may not cover all of the losses incurred by those customers. (b) In addition to the disclosures under Subsection (a), a virtual currency kiosk operator shall provide a written disclosure (1) is prominently displayed and in bold type; (2) must be acknowledged by the customer; (3) is provided separately from the disclosures under "WARNING: LOSSES DUE TO FRAUDULENT OR ACCIDENTAL TRANSACTIONS ARE NOT RECOVERABLE AND TRANSACTIONS IN VIRTUAL CURRENCY ARE IRREVERSIBLE. VIRTUAL CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS MAY BE USED BY SCAMMERS IMPERSONATING LOVED ONES, THREATENING JAIL TIME, OR INSISTING YOU WITHDRAW MONEY FROM YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO PURCHASE (c) The disclosures under Subsection (a) must be displayed on the screen of the virtual currency kiosk with the ability for a customer to acknowledge the receipt of the disclosures. Sec. 161.004. TRANSACTION-RELATED DISCLOSURES. (a) A virtual currency kiosk operator shall disclose all relevant terms generally associated with virtual currency and with the products, services, and activities of the operator, including: (1) the customer's liability for unauthorized virtual (A) stop payment of a virtual currency transfer and the procedure to stop payment; (B) receive a receipt, trade ticket, or other evidence of a transaction at the time of the transaction; and (C) receive prior notice of a change in the (3) the circumstances under which the operator, without a court or government order, is authorized to disclose a customer's account information to third parties; and (4) other disclosures customarily provided in connection with the opening of a customer's account. (b) Before a virtual currency transaction is entered into for, on behalf of, or with a customer, a virtual currency kiosk operator shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the terms of the transaction. The disclosure must: (1) be in plain, easy to read language; and (A) the amount of the transaction; (B) any transaction fees, expenses, or charges, including applicable exchange rates; (C) the type and nature of the transaction; (D) a warning that once a transaction is completed, the transaction may not be reversed; (E) the daily virtual currency kiosk transaction limit for new customers prescribed by Section 161.008; (F) the difference in the virtual currency's sale price compared to the current market price; and (G) any other disclosures customarily provided in connection with a virtual currency kiosk transaction. Sec. 161.005. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DISCLOSURES. Before completing a transaction, a virtual currency kiosk operator shall ensure that each customer who engages in a virtual currency kiosk transaction using the operator's kiosk acknowledges receipt of the disclosures required under Sections 161.003 and 161.004 by obtaining confirmation of consent. Sec. 161.006. RECEIPT REQUIRED. After a transaction is completed, the virtual currency kiosk operator shall provide the customer with a physical receipt, or an electronic receipt sent by e-mail or text message, that contains: (1) the operator's name and contact information, including a telephone number to answer questions and register (2) the type, value, date, and precise time of the transaction, the transaction hash, and each virtual currency (5) a statement of the operator's liability for nondelivery or delayed delivery; (6) a statement of the operator's refund policy; and (7) any additional information the banking commissioner of Texas may require. Sec. 161.007. REFUNDS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS. (a) For purposes of this section, a person is considered to be a new customer if less than 72 hours has elapsed from the time the person first signed up (b) The operator of a virtual currency kiosk shall issue to a new customer, on request, a refund for the total amount of all virtual currency kiosk transactions made by the customer at the kiosk during the new customer period described by Subsection (a) if (1) was fraudulently induced to enter into a virtual currency kiosk transaction; and (2) not later than the 14th day after the date on which the last virtual currency kiosk transaction was made during that 72-hour period, contacts the operator and an applicable governmental or law enforcement agency to inform them of the fraudulent nature of the transaction. Sec. 161.008. DAILY TRANSACTION LIMIT. (a) For purposes of this section, "new customer" means a person described by Section (b) A maximum daily transaction limit of $2,000 is established for each new customer of a virtual currency kiosk Sec. 161.009. ADMINISTRATION OF CHAPTER; FEES. (a) The Texas Department of Banking shall administer and enforce this chapter. The banking commissioner of Texas may charge a virtual currency kiosk operator a reasonable fee to cover the costs of (b) The banking commissioner may investigate a virtual currency kiosk operator to determine compliance with this chapter in the same manner as allowed under Subchapter B, Chapter 152, including examination of the records of the operator. Sec. 161.010. RULES. The Finance Commission of Texas may adopt rules necessary to administer and enforce this chapter. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Expert Lobbyists for This Bill
These lobbyists specialize in Consumer Protection and related subject areas.
Adnelis M. Perez Vega
PremiumBrianna M. Menard
Robert D. Miller
Haley Cornyn
Allen E. Blakemore
Michael J. Johnson
Vera Denise Rose
Gavin L. Massingill
Leslie Pardue
Fred Shannon
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to disclosures and other requirements concerning virtual
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