New Hampshire has become the fourth U.S. state to advance Bitcoin reserve legislation, as House Bill 302 passed the state’s House on April 10 with a narrow 192-179 vote.
This milestone follows strong support from the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee, which had approved the bill with a decisive 16-1 vote in early March.
The bill now proceeds to the Senate, which will undergo further scrutiny and debate before potentially reaching Governor Kelly Ayotte’s desk for final approval.
If signed into law, HB302 would authorize the state treasurer to allocate up to 10% of New Hampshire’s general fund, revenue stabilization fund, or any other legislatively approved reserves into select digital assets and precious metals, including gold, silver, and platinum.
However, not all cryptocurrencies would qualify. To be considered for inclusion in the state’s investment portfolio, a digital asset must have maintained an average market capitalization of at least $500 billion over the previous calendar year—a threshold currently met solely by Bitcoin.
Supporters of the bill argue that such a move could enhance the state’s financial diversification and unlock new revenue streams through investments in high-value assets like Bitcoin. During a House session, Republican Representative Jordan Ulery highlighted the significant economic benefits of such investments. Additionally, New Hampshire lawmakers are exploring further legislative efforts in the blockchain space, including regulations for stablecoins, the tokenization of real-world assets, and comprehensive guidelines for blockchain technology that incorporate dispute resolution provisions.
Notably, Arizona is inching closer to becoming the first state to establish a digital asset reserve formally. Its proposed Bitcoin reserve bills—SB 1373 and SB 1025—have successfully passed the House Rules Committee. While they share a common goal of creating state-held digital asset reserves, the two bills differ in their specific objectives and funding mechanisms, setting the stage for a pioneering legal framework in the state.
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