Crypto Coming To Capitol Hill? West Virginia Proposes State Investment Bill
West Virginia lawmakers have taken a step towards letting the state put a slice of its money into gold, stablecoins and really giant cryptocurrencies. Senate Bill 143, launched on January 15, 2026, is being referred to as the Inflation Protection Act and was filed by State Senator Chris Rose.
Inflation Protection Act Details
According to the proposal, the State Treasury Board may place as much as 10% of sure treasury accounts right into a restricted checklist of nontraditional belongings.
Those belongings would come with valuable metals like gold and silver, regulator-approved stablecoins, and digital currencies that meet a really high market-cap check. The invoice units that threshold at US$750 billion averaged over the prior calendar 12 months.
The Market Cap Door Is Narrow
Based on reviews, solely the biggest cryptocurrencies would clear that bar. At the second, that successfully names Bitcoin as the only qualifying digital asset, given the US$750 billion requirement. That selection was framed as a solution to restrict publicity to unstable or fringe tokens.
How The State Could Hold These Assets
The invoice doesn’t demand one custody mannequin. Instead, it permits the treasury to carry metals or crypto immediately, to make use of exchange-traded merchandise, or different accredited custody setups. The language additionally contemplates instruments like staking or ETPs as choices for producing returns, nevertheless it attaches guidelines meant to scale back operational and safety dangers.
A Policy Shift At The State Level
Rose and backers current the move as a hedge towards inflation and a solution to diversify reserves past bonds and money. Opponents are prone to press on fiduciary responsibility, volatility, and the dangers of adopting belongings with fast value swings.
The debate faucets right into a wider pattern: a number of US states have been exploring methods to create strategic reserves that embrace valuable metals or crypto.
What Happens Next
SB 143 has been assigned to the Committee on Banking and Insurance, with additional overview anticipated earlier than any vote. Lawmakers will weigh technical safeguards, reporting guidelines, and the best way to audit and insure holdings earlier than shifting the measure ahead.
If carried out, the plan would let West Virginia place a modest, capped portion—10%—of qualifying funds right into a slim set of belongings aimed toward preserving shopping for energy.
Supporters argue it’s a cautious experiment; critics say the chance profile of crypto nonetheless calls for care. Either method, the proposal will drive an in depth coverage dialogue in Charleston about how public cash must be managed when new monetary instruments are on the desk.
Featured picture from Corcoran, chart from TradingView
