New Hampshire enacts 'Blockchain Basic Laws' establishing legal protections for cryptocurrency users, miners, and stakers.
Regulation & Gov ·
New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte signed HB 639, the Blockchain Basic Laws act, into law last week, establishing legal safeguards for digital asset ownership, blockchain development, and mining operations within the state. The legislation creates a specialized dispute resolution mechanism through a dedicated blockchain docket in the superior court and shields individuals' rights to manage their own cryptocurrency holdings. According to Representative Keith Ammon, the bill's chief sponsor, the law protects fundamental rights in the digital economy and offers explicit legal cover for developers, validators, entrepreneurs, and businesses in the sector.
This move builds on New Hampshire's earlier adoption of a strategic Bitcoin reserve framework, signed by Ayotte in May 2025, which permits the state's treasurer to allocate up to 5% of public funds into the leading cryptocurrency alongside precious metals. Ammon framed both initiatives as positioning New Hampshire to lead national blockchain innovation and signal openness to crypto entrepreneurs and investors across the country.
However, momentum has faced a setback: the state's executive council recently rejected a proposal for a Bitcoin-backed municipal bond that would have been facilitated by the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority. The rejection underscores that regulatory openness to blockchain assets does not yet extend uniformly across all state institutions and financial instruments.