Ayotte Signs NH 'Blockchain Basic Laws' Into Law
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- Governor Kelly Ayotte signed HB 639, the "Blockchain Basic Laws" act, into law last week, positioning New Hampshire as one of the most crypto-friendly states in the nation
- HB 639 codifies protections for self-custody of digital assets and creates a dedicated blockchain dispute docket within the state's superior court
- Representative Keith Ammon, the bill's primary sponsor, said the law protects "the right of individuals to control their own digital assets through self-custody" and shields blockchain developers, miners, validators, and entrepreneurs from legal exposure
- New Hampshire's strategic Bitcoin reserve, signed by Ayotte in May 2025, permits the state treasurer to allocate up to 5% of public funds to BTC alongside gold and silver — a bill Ammon also helped shepherd
- New Hampshire's executive council last week rejected a proposal that would have let the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority issue a Bitcoin-backed municipal bond
Why it matters: New Hampshire is stacking pro-crypto legal infrastructure — self-custody rights, dispute courts, and a public-fund BTC reserve — but the executive council's same-week rejection of a Bitcoin-backed municipal bond shows the state's appetite for crypto finance hits a wall when public balance sheets are on the line.
