Arizona has officially established its first Bitcoin and Digital Asset Reserve Fund with the signing of House Bill 2749 into law. Unlike previously proposed legislation, the bill does not authorize the state to make new cryptocurrency investments. Instead, it focuses solely on managing unclaimed digital assets.
This move follows New Hampshire’s recent approval of HB 302, which made it the first U.S. state to create a formal Bitcoin reserve.
Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB 2749 into law on May 7, just days after vetoing the Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act (Senate Bill 1025). She had rejected the earlier bill due to concerns over the volatility of digital currencies and the risks they pose to public retirement funds. In contrast, HB 2749 takes a more measured approach by dealing only with digital assets the state has legally acquired through escheatment.
As explained by Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, the newly signed bill allows Arizona to form a Bitcoin reserve funded through unclaimed or abandoned crypto, staking rewards, and airdrops—rather than taxpayer money or public investments.
Under the law, the state may claim ownership of digital assets if the rightful owner fails to respond to official attempts to contact them within three years. Once claimed, these assets can be staked or held to earn rewards. Any returns—whether through staking yields or airdrops—will be funneled into the Bitcoin and Digital Asset Reserve Fund.
This new fund enables Arizona to securely manage and potentially grow unclaimed crypto holdings, without exposing public funds to the risks typically associated with digital asset investment.
