New Hampshire Advances Bitcoin Reserve Bill With 16-1 Vote

• New Hampshire’s Bitcoin reserve bill advances with a 16-1 vote, allowing up to 5% in BTC.
• The state joins Texas, Utah, Arizona, and Oklahoma in pushing Bitcoin reserve legislation.
• Trump’s U.S. Crypto Reserve plan boosts momentum for state-level Bitcoin adoption.

A new wave of Bitcoin adoption is sweeping across U.S. states. New Hampshire’s House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee has passed House Bill 302 with a 16-1 vote. This bill allows the state treasurer to allocate up to 5% of public funds into Bitcoin, alongside gold, silver, and platinum. The proposal now moves to the House floor for further consideration.  

The bill was introduced on January 10 by Republican Rep. Keith Ammon and co-sponsored by Democrats Chris McAleer and Carry Spier. The bill does not explicitly name Bitcoin, instead, it sets eligibility criteria for digital assets with a market capitalization of at least $500 billion. Based on current market data, Bitcoin is the only cryptocurrency that qualifies under these conditions. According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin’s market capitalization is approximately $1.8 trillion.

New Hampshire joins a growing list of states considering Bitcoin for state reserves. Texas, Utah, Arizona, and Oklahoma have introduced similar legislation. Utah’s Blockchain and Digital Innovation Amendments bill allows up to 5% of state funds in digital assets. Texas has two bills; one proposing 1% of general revenue funds for Bitcoin investment and another focused on handling Bitcoin donations and payments. Arizona’s SB 1025 bill has already cleared the Senate Finance Committee. Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s HB 1203 passed the House Government Oversight Committee with a 12-2 vote.  

Momentum for Bitcoin reserves is also building at the national level. On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced plans for a U.S. Crypto Reserve, with Bitcoin and Ethereum at its core. His endorsement of cryptocurrency has added weight to state-level initiatives like New Hampshire’s bill.  

During the March 5 House committee session, Ammon confirmed amendments to the bill. The final version removed stablecoins and staking provisions. He also noted that New Hampshire’s Treasurer, Monica Mezzapelle, has shown interest in investing if the bill becomes law. Initially, the bill proposed up to 10% allocation, but lawmakers revised it to 5%.  

Related: Arizona Moves Closer to Approving Bitcoin Reserve Bill

Bitcoin adoption in state reserves continues to gain traction. As more states explore similar initiatives, the debate over Bitcoin’s role in public finance is intensifying. The New Hampshire House floor vote will determine the next step for HB 302.

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