Key Takeaways
- New Hampshire's House committee passed a Bitcoin bill in a 16-1 vote.
- The bill would allow up to 5% of state funds to be invested in Bitcoin.
- New Hampshire joins other states pushing for Bitcoin adoption.
On March 5, the New Hampshire House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee passed House Bill 302 in a decisive 16-1 vote.
The bill, introduced by Republican Keith Ammon and co-sponsored by Democrats Chris McAleer and Carry Spier, would allow the state’s treasurer to invest up to 5% of certain state funds into Bitcoin and other eligible assets.
Eligibility criteria for Bitcoin investment
While Bitcoin is not explicitly mentioned in the bill, only digital assets with an average market cap of $500 billion over the past year qualify for inclusion—making Bitcoin the only eligible asset under this criterion.
Any acquired Bitcoin would be required to be held by a qualified custodian or as part of an exchange-traded product.
Amendments to the Bill
Originally, the bill proposed allowing 10% of state funds to be allocated, but it was amended to 5% before passing through the committee.
Additionally, amendments removed the inclusion of stablecoins and staking options.
Treasurer’s interest in Bitcoin
New Hampshire’s Treasurer, Monica Mezzapelle, has expressed interest in potentially investing in Bitcoin if the bill passes.
Broader context of Bitcoin adoption
New Hampshire joins North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas in awaiting a full House vote, while similar bills in Utah and Arizona have already cleared that stage.
The push for Bitcoin adoption at the state level comes as President Donald Trump recently proposed a federal Bitcoin reserve.
