New Hampshire became the first US state to authorize government investment in cryptocurrency, through a bill presented by Governor Kelly Ayotte.
Governor Ayotte took to X to announce the move and noted Concord, N.H. — House Bill 302, passed by both chambers of the state legislature, permits the New Hampshire Treasury to invest in digital assets, including Bitcoin, as well as precious metals.
Source: Governor Kelly Ayotte
The bill limits such investments to cryptocurrencies with a market capitalization exceeding $500 billion—effectively excluding lesser-known tokens and speculative coins.
The new legislation allows New Hampshire to “invest in cryptocurrency and precious metals,” aligning with the state’s long-standing ethos of financial independence and innovation.
Republican lawmakers hailed the development as a historic step. “The Live Free or Die state is leading the way in forging the future of commerce and digital assets,” the New Hampshire GOP commented on the X post.
The bill’s signing comes amid a wave of legislative activity around digital asset reserves across the country. New Hampshire’s approval follows Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs’ veto of a similar proposal on May 2, and the withdrawal of two crypto reserve bills in Florida just one day later.
At the federal level, digital asset policy is also gaining traction. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March calling for the creation of a national “Digital Asset Stockpile” and a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.”
Meanwhile, Senator Cynthia Lummis continues to push the BITCOIN Act, which would authorize the U.S. government to hold over 1 million BTC seized through civil and criminal asset forfeitures.
New Hampshire’s move marks a significant development in the evolving landscape of crypto policy in the United States, potentially paving the way for similar action at the federal level.
