Coinstar
Coinstar operates 24,000+ self-service coin-counting kiosks across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, processing 70M+ transactions and approximately $3 billion in coins annually. It converts coins into cash, eGift cards, charity donations, bank transfers, cryptocurrency, and reloadable debit card funds for individual consumers, retailers, and financial institutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersBellevue, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Coinstar does
Coinstar operates the largest self-service coin-counting kiosk network in the world, with over 24,000 kiosks deployed across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain. Founded in 1991 by Stanford student Jens Molbak, the company processes 70 million+ transactions and approximately $3 billion in coins annually, converting loose change into cash vouchers, eGift cards, tax-deductible charitable donations, direct bank deposits via its Transfer to Account service, or cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin and Ethereum. The core technology is proprietary coin-counting hardware with high sorting accuracy, integrated with banking-as-a-service partners (TabaPay, Evolve Bank & Trust, Lead Bank, Lithic) and crypto wallet providers (Zero Hash, Coinme) to extend the kiosk into a physical-to-digital financial services platform.
Revenue is generated primarily through transaction fees: a service fee of up to 15.9% plus a $0.99 transaction fee for coin-to-cash, commissions on eGift card conversions (with 0% fee options at select retailers), a 4% fee plus spread on cryptocurrency purchases, processing fees on charitable donations (10% national, 7.5% regional), and loading/ATM fees on the CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card. The company pursues a product-led growth model with no direct consumer sales force, acquiring customers through point-of-sale placement in high-foot-traffic retail grocery locations and B2B partnerships with 40+ banks and credit unions. The company also operates dedicated B2B platforms (Coinstar for Financial and Coinstar for Retail) that offer managed coin processing programs to financial institutions and retailers, and is expanding into broader financial inclusion services targeting the unbanked and underbanked population.
Coinstar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coinstar
- Legal name
- Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC
- Website
- https://coinstar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Coinstar operates 24,000+ self-service coin-counting kiosks across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, processing 70M+ transactions and approximately $3 billion in coins annually. It converts coins into cash, eGift cards, charity donations, bank transfers, cryptocurrency, and reloadable debit card funds for individual consumers, retailers, and financial institutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Coinstar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Coin Processing Services
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Kiosks & Self-Service Terminals (TITO, Loyalty, Cashless, Sportsbook Kiosks) (MPAEANAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cash & Coin Processing / Cash Centers (FSAMAOAF), On/Off-Ramp Providers (Fiat↔Crypto) & Cash-In/Cash-Out Networks (FSADAIAE), Self-Checkout Kiosks & Interactive Retail Kiosks (HDACAKAH), ATM / Cash Access Network Schemes (FSAMAAAH)
Keywords
Where Coinstar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bellevue
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Coinstar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Coin-to-Cash Transaction Fees: Coinstar charges fees for converting coins to cash at kiosks. Fees may include a service fee of up to 15.9% plus a transaction fee of up to $0.99. This is the primary traditional revenue stream from the core coin-counting business.
- eGift Card Commissions: Coinstar offers coins-to-eGift Card conversion with fees varying by retailer, brand, and location, with some options at 0% fee. Revenue is generated through commissions from gift card issuers and retailers.
- Cryptocurrency Purchase Fees: Cryptocurrency purchases incur a 4% transaction fee plus spread fees charged by wallet providers (Zero Hash up to 16.1%, Coinme up to 18.5%). This is a growing revenue stream as crypto-enabled kiosks expand.
- Debit Card Loading Fees: CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card generates revenue through kiosk loading fees ($0.59 for coins, $4.95 for cash) and ATM withdrawal fees ($1.50), plus potential foreign transaction fees (4.5%).
- Charity Donation Processing: Coinstar retains a 10% processing fee from donations to national charities and 7.5% for regional charities, providing a revenue stream from charitable transactions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Coins to Cash - Standard fee-based service |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Coins to eGift Card - Fee-free option available |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Cryptocurrency Purchase Fees |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card - No monthly fees |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Charity Donation Processing Fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Coinstar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coinstar operates a network of more than 24,000 self-service kiosks in major retail locations across the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, and Western Europe. The kiosks count loose coins and convert them into cash vouchers, eGift cards, charity donations, or direct bank-account transfers, and also enable cash-to-cryptocurrency purchases. The company has expanded into digital financial services through the CINQ by Coinstar prepaid debit card and digital wallet, and operates B2B programs (Coinstar for Financial and Coinstar for Retail) for managed coin processing.
Product overview
Coinstar operates a network of over 24,000 self-service kiosks across the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain, processing over 70 million transactions annually worth approximately $3 billion in coins. The core offering consists of four main consumer services: Coins to Cash (coin counting with cash redemption), Transfer to Account (direct bank transfers via 40+ partner financial institutions), eGift Cards (coin-to-card conversion with 0% fee options), and Charity Donations (tax-deductible giving). The company has expanded into cryptocurrency services (purchasing 25+ cryptos including Bitcoin at 6,000+ kiosks) and digital banking (CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card and Digital Wallet). Business-to-business divisions (Coinstar for Financial and Coinstar for Retail) provide managed coin processing programs for financial institutions and retailers. Recent product launches include the CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card (October 2025) and expanded Transfer to Account partnerships with TabaPay and Evolve Bank & Trust (May 2026).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CINQ by Coinstar: Digital wallet and debit card product that allows users to convert coins and cash into digital spending power, with cryptocurrency purchasing capabilities.
- Coinstar for Financial
- Coinstar for Retail
- Coins to Cash
- Coins That Count
Products and services
- Coins to Cash Self-service coin counting service at Coinstar kiosks where users pour loose coins into the machine and receive a paper voucher redeemable for cash at the host store's checkout. Available at over 24,000 retail locations in the U.S. and internationally. A service fee of up to 15.9% plus a transaction fee of up to $0.99 applies.
- Transfer to Account Service enabling consumers to transfer coins or cash directly to any eligible U.S. debit card via participating Coinstar kiosks. Available at over 10,000 kiosks nationwide with funds typically arriving in minutes. Powered by TabaPay money movement platform and Evolve Bank & Trust banking infrastructure, with 40+ partner banks and credit unions including U.S. Bank.
- eGift Cards (Coin to Card) Service converting coins into electronic gift cards for major retailers and restaurants such as Amazon, Apple, Starbucks, GameStop, and Target. Fee options starting at 0% are available at select participating retailers, with over 20 brands participating.
- Charity Donations (Coins That Count) Coin donation service that lets users convert loose coins into tax-deductible charitable contributions at Coinstar kiosks. Supports national charities (with a 10% processing fee) including Feeding America, American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish, UNICEF USA, NAACP, and World Wildlife Fund, as well as regional charities (7.5% processing fee).
- Cryptocurrency Purchasing Cash-to-cryptocurrency purchase service available at Coinstar kiosks. Supports 25+ cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Chainlink, Polygon, Stellar, and Solana through CINQ by Coinstar (powered by Zero Hash) and Coinme wallets. A 4% transaction fee plus spread fees up to 18.5% apply.
- CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card General purpose reloadable prepaid debit card issued by Lead Bank, Member FDIC. Lets users load coins or cash at Coinstar kiosks and spend the balance digitally, including through mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay), at ATMs ($1.50 fee), or via direct deposit. Funds are FDIC insured up to $250,000.
- CINQ by Coinstar Digital Wallet Mobile digital wallet app for managing cryptocurrency and fiat funds. Enables buying, selling, sending, and receiving cryptocurrency through Zero Hash infrastructure. Available on iOS and Android with biometric authentication and FDIC-insured fund storage.
- Coinstar for Financial B2B platform providing fully-managed coin processing programs for financial institutions, including in-branch coin counting solutions and managed coin operations that convert coin handling into opportunities for banks and credit unions.
- Coinstar for Retail B2B turnkey coin processing solution for retailers. Provides a fully managed system for coin counting and processing so retailers can offer the service to shoppers without managing it themselves.
Quantifiable outcome
- Processes over 70 million transactions annually across 24,000+ kiosks
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Coinstar
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Coinstar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
Coinstar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- TabaPay and Evolve Bank & TrustcoreTabaPay provides money movement platform and card network connections while Evolve Bank & Trust serves as the program bank for Coinstar's Transfer to Account service, enabling consumers to transfer cash or coins directly to any eligible U.S. debit card across more than 10,000 kiosks nationwide.
- U.S. BankcoreExpanded partnership to enhance coin deposit services across the U.S., integrating Transfer to Account into over 10,000 kiosks and branches, serving more than 48,000 clients across 400+ retail chains.
- LithiccoreSelected as fintech partner to enable seamless physical-to-digital currency conversion for the CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card, supporting Coinstar's digital transformation strategy.
- Zero HashcoreCryptocurrency services provider powering the CINQ by Coinstar digital wallet, enabling users to buy, sell, send, and receive cryptocurrency through the app and at Coinstar kiosks. Zero Hash is licensed by NYSDFDS.
- CoinmecoreDigital wallet partner for cryptocurrency purchases at Coinstar kiosks. Coinme provides the wallet for cash-to-Bitcoin transactions and supports 7 cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and Litecoin.
- Lead BankcoreLead Bank, Member FDIC, issues the CINQ by Coinstar Debit Card and holds customer funds, providing FDIC insurance up to $250,000 for deposits.
- Feeding AmericaflagshipCharity partner since 2007. Over $1 million has been collected at Coinstar kiosks for Feeding America, which operates a network of 200+ food banks helping feed 46 million people annually.
- American Red CrossminorNational charity partner allowing Coinstar users to make tax-deductible donations at kiosks to support disaster relief and humanitarian efforts.
- Children's Miracle Network HospitalsminorCharity partner supporting children's hospitals across the U.S. and Canada, raising funds for critically ill children through coin donations at Coinstar kiosks.
- Make-A-WishminorCharity partner granting wishes for children with critical illnesses. Added as donation option in 2021, serving children in the U.S. and nearly 50 countries.
- NAACPminorCivil rights organization added as charity partner in 2020, allowing donations to NAACP Empowerment Programs supporting racial equality and social justice.
- World Wildlife FundminorEnvironmental conservation charity partner allowing donations to support wildlife conservation efforts globally.
- UNICEF USAminorInternational children's charity partner supporting UNICEF's global efforts to provide vaccines, therapeutic food, education, and emergency relief to children worldwide.
- Humane World for AnimalsminorAnimal welfare charity partner (formerly Humane Society) supporting global animal protection efforts in over 50 countries.
- Nancy Curby (Feeding America)minorSenior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships & Operations at Feeding America, representing the charity partner in the $1M milestone announcement.
- 40+ Financial Institutions (Credit Unions)coreCredit union partners including Call Federal Credit Union, Utah Power Credit Union, Century Federal Credit Union, TAPCO Credit Union, Wescom Financial, Essential Credit Union, DoverPhila Credit Union, TDECU, Lookout Credit Union, U.S. Bank, and 30+ others enabling Transfer to Account service at Coinstar kiosks.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Coinstar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coinme: Coinme is a leading cryptocurrency ATM and cash-to-crypto kiosk operator that partners directly with Coinstar to enable crypto purchases at its kiosks. Both companies serve the same cash-to-digital consumer use case via self-service kiosks in retail locations.
- Bitcoin Depot: Bitcoin Depot operates one of the largest networks of Bitcoin ATMs in North America, directly competing with Coinstar's crypto purchase service at retail locations. Both target consumers seeking to convert cash to cryptocurrency via physical kiosks.
- CoinFlip: CoinFlip is a major Bitcoin ATM operator with thousands of kiosks across the U.S., competing directly with Coinstar's cryptocurrency purchase offering for cash-based crypto onramp transactions.
- RockItCoin: RockItCoin operates a network of cryptocurrency kiosks across the U.S., directly competing with Coinstar's crypto purchase service. Both companies enable cash-to-crypto conversions at retail locations with similar fee structures.
- Pelicoin: Pelicoin operates Bitcoin ATMs primarily in convenience stores and gas stations across the U.S., competing with Coinstar's crypto kiosks for the same cash-to-crypto consumer use case in retail environments.
Broad incumbents
- NCR Atleos: NCR Atleos is the global leader in ATM manufacturing and operates one of the largest ATM networks, providing cash access infrastructure comparable to Coinstar's kiosk-based cash distribution services, though with a focus on ATMs rather than coin-counting.
- Brink's: Brink's provides cash management, coin processing, and secure logistics services for financial institutions and retailers, competing with Coinstar for Financial's B2B managed coin programs serving banks and credit unions.
- Loomis: Loomis provides cash handling, coin processing, and ATM services globally, competing with Coinstar's enterprise offerings in the coin logistics and managed cash services space for banks and retailers.
Emerging players
- PayRange: PayRange enables cashless payments for vending machines and kiosks via mobile app, representing an emerging alternative to physical cash handling that could erode the value proposition of cash-based kiosk services over time.
- Greenlight Financial Technology: Greenlight offers a debit card and financial platform for kids and families, addressing financial inclusion and digital money management—an adjacent space to Coinstar's CINQ debit card and unbanked/underbanked consumer focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Coinstar social profiles
Digital presenceCoinstar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coinstar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Coinstar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Coinstar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coinstar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Coinstar
What does Coinstar do?
Coinstar operates a network of more than 24,000 self-service kiosks in major retail locations across the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, and Western Europe. The kiosks count loose coins and convert them into cash vouchers, eGift cards, charity donations, or direct bank-account transfers, and also enable cash-to-cryptocurrency purchases. The company has expanded into digital financial services through the CINQ by Coinstar prepaid debit card and digital wallet, and operates B2B programs (Coinstar for Financial and Coinstar for Retail) for managed coin processing.
Is Coinstar a public or private company?
Coinstar is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Coinstar founded?
Coinstar was founded in 1991. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Coinstar based?
Coinstar is headquartered in Bellevue, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coinstar make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Coin-to-Cash Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are eGift Card Commissions, cryptocurrency Purchase Fees, debit Card Loading Fees and charity Donation Processing.
Who are Coinstar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coinme, Bitcoin Depot, CoinFlip, RockItCoin and Pelicoin. Broad incumbents are NCR Atleos, Brink's and Loomis. Emerging players are PayRange and Greenlight Financial Technology.
Does Coinstar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coinstar.
What industry is Coinstar in?
Coinstar's product category is Coin Processing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAEANAG, Kiosks & Self-Service Terminals (TITO, Loyalty, Cashless, Sportsbook Kiosks), with a secondary code of FSAMAOAF, Cash & Coin Processing / Cash Centers. Its NAICS code is 52232 and its SIC code is 6199.