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Arizona Senate Advances Bill to Create Crypto Reserve Fund

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Nexo Partners with Bakkt for US Crypto Exchange and Yield Programs

TLDR

  • Arizona lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 1649 to create a state-managed crypto reserve funded by seized digital assets.
  • The Senate Finance Committee approved the bill in a 4 to 2 vote before sending it to the full Senate calendar.
  • The proposed fund would hold Bitcoin, XRP, DigiByte stablecoins, and certain NFTs obtained through criminal proceedings.
  • The Arizona State Treasurer could invest up to 10 percent of public funds in digital assets under the measure.

Arizona lawmakers are advancing Senate Bill 1649 to create a state-managed digital asset reserve. The proposal would place seized cryptocurrencies under the control of the State Treasurer. The measure now awaits a full Senate vote after clearing two key committees.

The Senate Finance Committee approved SB 1649 in a 4–2 vote on February 16. Lawmakers then moved the bill through the Rules Committee and placed it on the full Senate calendar by February 24. The proposal authorizes the Arizona State Treasurer to establish a Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund.

The fund would hold digital assets that courts seize, confiscate, or receive through surrender in criminal cases. Lawmakers state that the fund would not rely on direct taxpayer appropriations. However, the Treasurer could invest up to 10% of public funds in digital assets under the bill.

Bitcoin and the Arizona Crypto Reserve Strategy

The legislation lists Bitcoin as an eligible asset for the proposed reserve. Lawmakers cited Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million coins in committee discussions. Supporters argue that this cap supports its use as a hedge against inflation.

Senator Mark Finchem supports holding seized Bitcoin instead of auctioning it immediately. He said the state should benefit from potential appreciation rather than sell assets quickly. “The state should capture value for taxpayers,” Finchem said during hearings.

The bill permits the Treasurer to loan digital holdings to generate returns. However, the Treasurer must ensure that lending does not introduce added financial risk. Custody rules require multi-party governance and geographically distributed data centers.

Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed similar digital asset proposals in the past. She cited volatility as a concern in prior veto letters. SB 1649 must pass the full Senate before it can reach her desk.

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XRP and DigiByte Included in Eligible Assets

The bill names XRP and DigiByte alongside Bitcoin as approved assets. Lawmakers also included stablecoins and non-fungible tokens within the eligible categories. The measure does not limit holdings to a single blockchain network.

Arizona has built legal frameworks for digital assets over the past year. In May 2025, HB 2749 allowed the state to retain unclaimed digital assets in native form. The law prevented automatic conversion of abandoned crypto into cash.

Separate legislation seeks to exempt cryptocurrency from state property taxes. Lawmakers have also addressed crypto ATM fraud through new compliance rules. Operators must provide full refunds to defrauded first-time customers.

The new ATM rules also cap daily transactions for new users at $2,000. Lawmakers said the cap aims to reduce fraud exposure. The provisions operate independently from SB 1649.

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Law enforcement agencies often use forfeiture proceedings to seize digital assets. Victim restitution holds legal priority over agency claims in criminal cases. In crypto matters, victims may claim the actual digital assets taken.

Texas and Connecticut have enacted laws addressing criminal forfeiture of digital assets. South Dakota advanced SB 43 to define cryptocurrency as a seizable asset. New Hampshire remains among seven states pursuing strategic reserve legislation as of early 2026.

SB 1649 now stands on the Arizona Senate calendar for a full floor vote. Lawmakers have not scheduled a final vote date. The bill requires majority approval before it proceeds further in the legislative process.

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Crypto World

Bitcoin Rebounds 4% on Iran Ceasefire Hopes but Faces $72K Resistance

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Bitcoin Rebounds 4% on Iran Ceasefire Hopes but Faces $72K Resistance

Bitcoin (BTC) rose back above $71,000 during the early Asian trading hours on Wednesday after Trump’s administration offered a 15-point plan to Iran to end the war, sparking short-term optimism across risk assets.

Key takeaways:

  • Bitcoin bounces 4% to $71,500 after President Trump sent Iran a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war. 

  • Bitcoin faces stiff resistance above $72,000. 

Bitcoin jumps 4% on ceasefire hopes

Data from TradingView showed BTC price rose as much as 4% to an intraday high of $71,300 from Tuesday’s low of $68,890, recouping all the losses incurred the day prior.

BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView

The price reacted to news that the US, through the primary intermediary Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir (Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff), has sent Iran a 15-point plan aimed at ending the war.

The key elements of the plan include: a temporary ceasefire with calls on Iran to dismantle or severely limit its nuclear program, suspend its ballistic-missile work, and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for safe maritime traffic.

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Source: X/The Kobeissi Letter

Meanwhile, Iran continues to deny any ongoing talks as ​​Trump delayed his self-imposed deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Following the news, WTI crude oil dropped 5.75% to $87 per barrel, while Brent crude shed 6% to trade at $98.

Oil prices table. Source: Oil Price.com

Gold extended yesterday’s gains, now up 2.53% on the day to trade at $4,561 at the time of writing.

This move eases inflation fears tied to disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, positively impacting risk assets, including Bitcoin.

Analysts noted the swift repricing, with Coinlore saying that Bitcoin is now acting as a “real-time sentiment instrument for global risk.”

CryptoQuant analyst Axel Adler Jr said that BTC will “likely remain headline-driven” until the US and Iran send a “public de-escalation signal.”

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Bitcoin price faces “rough times ahead”

Despite the rebound, BTC’s upside appears to be capped at $72,000, where the 50-day exponential moving average (EMA) and the upper trend line of a symmetrical triangle converge.

A break above $72,000 would confirm a bullish breakout from the triangle, toward the measured target at $92,400, 30% above the current price.

BTC/USD daily chart. Cointelegraph/TradingView

Glassnode’s cost-basis distribution heatmap reveals concentrated supply and resistance between $72,000 and $74,000, where investors acquired roughly 380,000 BTC over the last 30 days. This indicates that sellers could aggressively defend this zone.

Bitcoin cost basis distribution heatmap. Source: Glassnode

On the downside, a dense accumulation cluster sits around $65,000, where investors previously acquired 160,000 BTC. 

This level coincides with the lower trend line of the symmetrical triangle, which, if lost, could trigger the next leg lower toward the bearish target of the triangle at $52,500.

Meanwhile, Capriole Investment’s Bitcoin Macro index has dropped to -1.37, levels seen at the depth of previous bear cycles.

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The chart below shows that the metric historically spends a year at or below these valuations before recovering.

“Bitcoin Macro index is in the value zone,” Capriole Investments founder Charles Edwards said in an X post on Wednesday, adding:

“In all prior instances, price went lower into deeper value first before recovering, suggesting we may have more rough times ahead first.”

Bitcoin Macro Index. Source: Capriole Investments

As Cointelegraph reported, traders warn of a second bear flag breakdown that could clear the path for another sell-off below $50,000.