I agree the ATM introduction in Vancouver was correlated with Virtex moving from a cheaper-than-average exchange to where it is now. The weird thing is that the ATM buys in real-time from BitStamp (not Virtex). So if the ATM was the cause of this phenomenon, then it was through a second-order effect (e.g., more news about the ATM in Canada than other parts of the world and then Canadians made accounts at Virtex).
The other thing about Virtex, is that the liquidity is much shallower than on Gox or BitStamp. Right now, dumping 200 coins would push the price from $478 to $420. Alternatively, during rallies, Virtex can easily over shoot since there are so few coins for sale.
I've seen a ton of conflicting reports on whether the ATM is using Bitstamp or Virtex. I'm inclined to believe it is using both...
No, it is definitely using BitStamp. I met one of the owners (Mitchell Demeter) at the ATM in person and heard it straight from the horse's mouth. There are several other threads that clarify this fact too (but I agree the media did get it wrong in some articles, thus the confusion).
I've heard otherwise direct from people very close to Virtex so I really don't know what to say about this...