TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Florida lawmakers are moving forward with a pair of ambitious proposals aimed at bringing digital assets and stablecoins into the state’s financial system—a move that could make Florida one of the first states to integrate cryptocurrency into public treasury operations.
Ventureburn reported that representative Webster Barnaby has introduced House Bill 183, which would allow the state’s chief financial officer and other officials to invest up to 10% of certain public funds—including pension, trust, and general revenue accounts—in digital assets such as Bitcoin, tokenized securities, crypto ETFs, and NFTs. The bill also includes strict custody, documentation, and fiduciary requirements to address volatility and compliance risks associated with holding crypto.
A companion measure, House Bill 175, establishes a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins. The proposal would require stablecoin issuers operating in Florida to maintain 100% reserves in U.S. dollars or short-term Treasury securities, prohibit lending of reserves, and publish monthly audited statements. Oversight would fall under the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, and if approved, the measure would take effect July 1, 2026, Ventureburn noted.
The two bills represent Florida’s most comprehensive effort yet to formalize crypto’s role in state finance, following a narrower Bitcoin-only measure that stalled earlier in 2025. Supporters say the new approach reflects lessons learned from that attempt, offering broader asset inclusion and stronger safeguards.
Backers of the legislation argue the reforms could modernize state investment strategies, diversify revenue management, and position Florida as a leader in digital-finance innovation. The measures would also allow residents to pay certain taxes and fees using digital currencies, though all payments would still be converted into U.S. dollars before being deposited into state accounts.