Kentucky joins growing list of US states to introduce Bitcoin reserve bill
2025-02-07
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Kentucky has become the 16th US state to introduce legislation aimed at establishing a Bitcoin reserve, highlighting the growing adoption of digital assets at the state level.
The bill, KY HB376, was introduced by Kentucky State Representative Theodore Joseph Roberts on Feb. 6. If passed, it would authorize the State Investment Commission to allocate up to 10% of excess state reserves into digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC). It states:

While the bill doesn’t mention particular cryptocurrencies, its criteria refer to digital assets other than stablecoins with a market capitalization of over $750 billion, which is averaged over the previous calendar year.
Bitcoin is the only cryptocurrency to fall under this criteria with its $1.9 trillion market capitalization. In comparison, Ether’s ETHUSD $330 billion market cap would need to grow over twofold to qualify for the potential reserve.
Kentucky became the 16th state in the US to introduce legislation for a Bitcoin reserve, following Arizona, Alabama, Florida, Massachusets, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Kansas and Wyoming. 
Kentucky’s move may set a precedent for a federal Bitcoin reserve
As the 16th state to consider such regulation, Kentucky’s move may set a precedent for a federal-level strategic Bitcoin reserve, according to Anndy Lian, author and intergovernmental blockchain expert.
“If Kentucky moves forward, it creates a roadmap for others to follow,” Lian told Cointelegraph, adding:
“Let’s not forget the consumer protection angle: if Bitcoin’s volatility tanks, taxpayers could be on the hook, which raises serious governance questions,” he added.
Despite the volatility-related concerns, Kentucky’s bill is a “massive vote of confidence in Bitcoin,” which could inspire more adoption, Lian said, adding:
Kentucky’s bill comes a week after the state of Illinois announced plans for a Bitcoin reserve bill that proposed a minimum BTC holding strategy of five years.
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