West Virginia Lawmakers Propose Bitcoin Investments With State Funds

West Virginia Senate Bill 143, titled the “Inflation Protection Act of 2026,” proposes authorizing the state treasurer to allocate up to 10% of overseen public funds into assets including gold, silver, platinum, and regulated digital assets like Bitcoin, which is currently the only asset meeting the $750 billion market capitalization threshold specified in the bill. The 10% cap applies at the time of investment, and if asset appreciation pushes the allocation over the limit, no further purchases can be made until it falls below the threshold. The legislation details strict custody requirements for digital assets, allowing direct custody by the treasurer, use of qualified third-party custodians, or registered exchange-traded products. Furthermore, the bill permits yield-generating activities like staking and lending digital assets, provided legal ownership remains with West Virginia. Retirement funds face tighter restrictions, limited only to exchange-traded products. The proposal reflects a broader trend among U.S. states exploring hard assets for public fund reserves.

(Source：Bitcoin Magazine)