California introduces ’Bitcoin rights’ in amended digital assets bill

A Californian lawmaker has conscionable added Bitcoin and crypto capitalist protections to a February-introduced wealth transmission measure aimed astatine securing crypto self-custody rights for the US state’s astir 40 cardinal residents.

California’s Assembly Bill 1052 was introduced arsenic the Money Transmission Act connected Feb. 20, 2025, but was amended by Democrat and Banking and Finance Committee seat Avelino Valencia connected March 28 to see respective Bitcoin (BTC) and crypto-related capitalist protections.

The amendments transverse retired “Money Transmission Act,” with the authorities present called “Digital assets.”

“California often sets the nationalist blueprint for policy, and if Bitcoin Rights passes here, it tin walk anywhere,” Satoshi Action Fund CEO Dennis Porter said successful a March 30 statement.

“Once passed, this authorities volition warrant astir 40 cardinal Californians the close to self-custody their integer assets without fearfulness of discrimination.”

Source: Satoshi Action Fund

The measure would besides deem the usage of a integer fiscal plus arsenic a valid and ineligible signifier of outgo successful backstage transactions and would prohibit nationalist entities from restricting oregon taxing integer assets solely based connected their usage arsenic payment.

The measure would besides grow the scope of California’s Political Reform Act of 1974 to prohibit a nationalist authoritative from issuing, sponsoring oregon promoting a integer asset, information oregon commodity.

“A nationalist authoritative shall not prosecute successful immoderate transaction oregon behaviour related to a integer plus that creates a struggle of involvement with their nationalist duties,” 1 conception of the AB 1052 states.

AB 1052 is present successful the “desk process” — meaning the measure has been formally introduced and is awaiting its archetypal reading.

A full of 99 merchants presently accept Bitcoin payments successful California, BTC Maps data shows.

Ripple Labs, Solana Labs and Kraken are among the largest crypto firms based successful California.

Related: New BITCOIN Act would let US reserve to transcend 1M

A stablecoin-related bill was besides introduced successful California connected Feb. 2, 2025, which aims to supply much clarity implicit stablecoin collateral requirements, liquidation processes, redemption and colony mechanisms requirements and security audits.

Bitcoin-related bills and measures adjacent 100 astatine the US authorities level

According to Bitcoin Law, 95 Bitcoin-related bills oregon measures person been introduced astatine the authorities level successful 35 states, including 36 Bitcoin reserve bills that are inactive live.

The Texas Senate passed a Bitcoin strategical reserve bill successful a 25-5 ballot connected March 6, portion Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed a Bitcoin Rights measure into instrumentality connected March 24.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed an enforcement order to make a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a Digital Asset Stockpile, some of which volition initially usage cryptocurrency forfeited successful authorities transgression cases.

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