Pennsylvania Lawmakers Want a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
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House Representatives in Pennsylvania have put forward a bill that would see a strategic Bitcoin reserve introduced at the state level. This comes after noise around a potential national Bitcoin reserve were amplified following Donald Trump securing reelection as President of the United States. The bill would allow the state Treasurer to invest “up to 10%” of the State General Fund, Rainy Day Fund, and the State Investment Fund into Bitcoin. This is a move to protect Pennsylvania’s funds against inflation, the legislative memo said, which has eroded the state’s purchasing power in recent years. For the General Fund alone, this could see Pennsylvania purchase up to $970 million worth of Bitcoin. “Inflation has impacted Pennsylvania’s purchasing power by nearly 20 percent over the past 4 years, and we need solutions that can offer stability in uncertain economic times,” the memo read. “Bitcoin, which has appreciated significantly over the years, can help Pennsylvania keep pace with inflation and economic change.” In recent years, inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022 and has since fallen to 2.4% in September, according to the U.S. inflation calculator. This means that dollars held by the state during this time have technically decreased in value. Over this same period, Bitcoin (BTC) has climbed from approximately $22,900 to $89,150—a 289% increase. For now, the bill has simply been introduced to the House with support from Pennsylvania Republican Reps. Mike Cabell and Aaron Kaufer. For it to be enacted, the bill must pass through eight more stages including reviews by the House, introduction to and reviews by the Senate, and finally an executive action. This state specific Bitcoin move comes as the conversations around a national strategic Bitcoin reserve have heated up, following Trump’s reelection. The Boosting Innovation, Technology, and Competitiveness Through Optimized Investment Nationwide Act—simply referred…
Filed under: News - @ November 15, 2024 7:28 pm