tl;dr
North Carolina's House passed the "Digital Assets Investment Act" (HB92), allowing the State Treasurer to invest in qualified digital assets and consider them for state employee retirement plans. The bill includes a feasibility study on a state-run reserve for seized crypto assets and requires educa...
North Carolina's House of Representatives has passed HB92, known as the "Digital Assets Investment Act," which authorizes the State Treasurer to invest in qualified digital assets. This legislation aims to incorporate digital assets into state employee retirement plans and includes a feasibility study on creating a state-run reserve for seized or forfeited crypto assets, managed by the State Bureau of Investigation alongside law enforcement.
HB92 instructs the Treasurer’s office to explore appropriate investment vehicles, set contribution limits, and develop educational materials highlighting the risks associated with digital assets. Notably, the bill’s investment cap was amended from 10% to 5% of the fund's balance during the legislative process.
In parallel, the companion Senate bill SB327, titled the "Bitcoin Reserve and Investment Act," proposes allocating up to 10% of public funds into Bitcoin. This proposal includes mechanisms for yield-generating strategies such as staking and lending, positioning Bitcoin as a key financial innovation to elevate North Carolina's economic standing. Sponsored by Republican Senators Todd Johnson, Brad Overcash, and Timothy Moffitt, SB327 has passed its first reading and is currently under committee review in the Senate.
This legislative momentum is part of a broader trend among states. Arizona, New Hampshire, Texas, Indiana, and Florida are exploring similar measures to integrate cryptocurrencies into public funds or pension systems, reflecting growing institutional interest. However, not all efforts have succeeded; states like Oklahoma, Montana, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming have seen related proposals stall.
As former President Donald Trump champions crypto initiatives federally, North Carolina’s move exemplifies how states are actively shaping their roles in the evolving digital economy. With growing legislative activity, the question arises: How will state-level crypto investments influence the broader adoption and regulation of digital assets across the U.S.? Investors and residents alike are watching closely as North Carolina’s bills advance through the Senate, potentially setting precedents for crypto integration in public finance.