Cryptocurrency 2022 Legislation: 37 States Adopted Legislation

37 States Adopt Crypto Legislation

Digital or virtual currencies are a medium of exchange but are not regular money.

Unlike dollar bills and coins, cryptocurrencies are not issued or backed by the U.S. government or any other government or central bank. The lack of a physical token to count and hold may confuse some. Rather, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are a form of digital currency used in electronic payment transactions—no coins, paper money or banks are involved; there are zero to minimal transaction fees; transactions are fast and not bound by geography; and, similar to using cash, transactions are anonymous.

Digital currencies are stored in digital wallets, which are software or apps installed by users on their computer or mobile device.

Each digital wallet contains encrypted information, called public and private keys, that is used to send and receive the digital currency. All digital currency transactions are recorded in a virtual public ledger called the “blockchain,” which is maintained by digital currency “miners.” These miners can be anyone, anywhere in the world, who is willing to invest in the specialized computer hardware needed to rapidly process complex computations. Miners are awarded digital currency, like Bitcoin, Ripple, Dogecoin, and Litecoin, in exchange for verifying each transaction and adding it to the blockchain.

Thirty-seven states have addressed legislation regarding cryptocurrency, digital or virtual currencies and other digital assets in the 2022 legislative session.

Examples of enacted legislation include:

  • Connecticut required the Board of Regents for Higher Education to develop seminar programs to assist small businesses with adapting to the business environment in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic through courses in subject areas, including, but not limited to, electronic commerce, social media, cybersecurity and virtual currency.
  • Indiana enacted legislation adding a new chapter to the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) that governs transactions involving controllable electronic records.
  • South Dakota required a licensee transmitting virtual currencies shall hold like-kind virtual currencies of the same volume as that held by the licensee but that is obligated to consumers, in lieu of the permissible investments otherwise required.
  • Washington and West Virginia updated their unclaimed property laws to include virtual currencies.
  • Wyoming amended statutory provisions regulating decentralized autonomous organizations.

Go To NCSL To View State By State Cryptocurrency Legislation

(This post from the NCSL.ORG website on state legislation.)

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