Public Reserve In Bitcoin: The Bold Bet Of New Hampshire

A few years ago, the idea would have brought a smile. Today, it has become law. New Hampshire has just become the very first U.S. state to create a strategic reserve… in bitcoin. Yes, you read that right. Crypto is no longer just in the wallets of geeks or sleepless traders, it officially enters public accounts.

A Small State, a Big Step for Bitcoin

Governor Kelly Ayotte signed the HB 302 law on May 6. Behind this somewhat austere name lies a quiet revolution: the state treasurer is now allowed to invest up to 5% of public funds in “leading digital assets“. No playing around here with memecoins or obscure tokens. The law sets a clear rule: only assets with a market capitalization of more than $500 billion are authorized. To date, this leaves only one candidate in the running: bitcoin.

Well, one might think the state will store its satoshis in an old Ledger hidden under a desk. But no. The text is precise about custody conditions:

• Multisignature wallets;
• Authorized custodians;
• ETFs.

Everything is designed to ensure the public bitcoins are well protected. New Hampshire wants to do this properly, with rules worthy of a good portfolio manager. And it’s no accident: the idea is to add an arrow to the state’s financial quiver, without taking reckless risks.

New Hampshire Leads the Way

This is not the first to try the experiment. Florida, Texas, Arizona, and a few others have tried, without success. But now, it is approved, signed, and enacted. And bitcoin fans are applauding. Dennis Porter, from the Satoshi Action Fund, even calls it a “model to follow“. The idea is simple: why let the dollar erode with inflation when you can store some BTC in anticipation of uncertain tomorrows?

Maybe this is the core of the story. Bitcoin is starting to take the place gold long held in the collective imagination:

• A safe haven;
• An insurance in case of monetary crisis.

And while El Salvador has made it official in its economy, New Hampshire establishes it as a strategic asset. A way of saying: “we’re not going as far as paying taxes in BTC, but we take it seriously.”

Bottom line? What looked like a crazy bet is gradually becoming a state strategy where even the Czech Republic could invest 7 billion dollars. And this could very well be the start of a trend: other states, other countries could be inspired by this committed bitcoin turn. So, just a flashy move or the beginning of a new budgetary era? We’ll be watching closely.