Key Takeaways
- Oklahoma's Bitcoin Reserve Act has passed a 12-2 committee vote.
- The bill would allow Oklahoma to invest up to 10% of public funds in bitcoin.
- If approved, the bill would take effect on November 1, 2025.
The Oklahoma House Government Oversight Committee has passed the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act (HB 1203) in a 12-2 vote.
If approved by the full House, the bill would make Oklahoma the first U.S. state to invest in bitcoin as part of its public treasury.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Cody Maynard, would permit the state to allocate up to 10% of public funds into digital assets with a market cap of at least $500 million—currently, only bitcoin qualifies.
Maynard argued that adding bitcoin to the state’s reserves would protect against inflation and monetary policy risks:
Bitcoin represents freedom from bureaucrats printing away our purchasing power.
Support & Opposition
State Senator Dusty Deevers is also pushing for broader bitcoin adoption in Oklahoma through the Bitcoin Freedom Act (SB 325), which would allow salaries to be paid in bitcoin and businesses to accept it as payment.
Deevers believes such initiatives will make Oklahoma a leader in financial technology.
However, some lawmakers oppose the reserve bill, citing bitcoin’s volatility and the risks of using taxpayer money for such investments. Montana Rep.
Steven Kelly warned:
It’s still taxpayer money, and we need to protect it. These types of investments are way too risky.
Oklahoma’s Pro-Bitcoin Stance
Oklahoma has already passed the Bitcoin Rights Bill (HB 3594) in May 2024, ensuring residents’ rights to own and use bitcoin without government interference.
If HB 1203 is approved, it will take effect on November 1, 2025.
