Crypto Law Profile

Massachusetts S.2008: Purchasing Power of State Funds

Massachusetts S.2008 would authorize limited state Bitcoin investment, custody options, retirement-fund ETP exposure, and digital asset tax provisions. It remains in committee.

Massachusetts, U.S. In committee Bill

At a glance

Status Pending in Joint Committee on Revenue as of Apr. 1, 2026.
Bitcoin allocation cap Treasurer may invest up to 10% of listed public funds in Bitcoin.
Custody routes Direct secure custody, qualified custodian, or registered investment-company ETP.
Tax provision Creates a proposed 5% excise on digital gross revenues in digital currency.

Bill details

Bill number
S.2008
Session
194th General Court (2025-2026)
Chamber
Senate
Legislative stage
Committee 1

Action

Last action
Reporting date extended to Thursday June 25, 2026.
Last action date
Apr 1, 2026

Sponsor

Primary sponsor
Barry R. Finegold
Sponsor party
Democratic

Source

Source provider
State legislature
Source ID
194/S2008
State legislature
Official bill page

Overview

Massachusetts S.2008, “An Act allowing for fiscal resilience through strategic investment in stable digital financial assets,” is a pending Senate bill in the 194th General Court that would create a proposed Chapter 64O on taxation and investment in digital financial assets. The proposal is commonly tracked as “Purchasing Power of State Funds” because it centers on public-fund exposure to Bitcoin and other digital financial assets as a reserve-style purchasing-power hedge. As of June 11, 2026, S.2008 has not been enacted or made effective; it remains a pending bill with committee action still required.

Key provisions of Massachusetts S.2008

The introduced text would authorize the state treasurer and public pension funds to consider Bitcoin and other stable digital financial assets in investment strategies designed to support economic security and financial resilience. The bill does not create a private crypto licensing regime. Instead, it focuses on state asset management, retirement-fund investment exposure, custody controls, and tax treatment for certain digital-asset activity.

  • Public-fund Bitcoin authority. The state treasurer could invest public funds in Bitcoin from the General Fund, Commonwealth Stabilization Fund, State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund, or another state fund requested by the treasurer and approved by the General Court.
  • Allocation limit. The treasurer’s Bitcoin investment authority would be capped at 10% of the total public funds in the applicable account.
  • Retirement-fund exposure. A state retirement fund could invest in exchange-traded products registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or the Massachusetts Securities Division.
  • Custody routes. Digital assets acquired by listed funds could be held directly through a secure custody solution, by a qualified custodian, or through an exchange-traded product issued by a registered investment company.

Definitions and asset scope

S.2008 defines “Bitcoin,” “digital financial asset,” “exchange-traded product,” “private key,” “qualified custodian,” and “secure custody solution.” The proposed definition of digital financial asset is broad. It covers digital representations of value recorded on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger, including virtual currency, cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, non-fungible tokens, and other exclusively digital assets that confer economic, proprietary, or access rights. For referenced tax provisions, the text would treat digital assets as cash equivalents.

Tax and revenue provisions

The bill would impose a 5% excise on digital gross revenues in digital currency obtained by a taxpayer, unless another law provides otherwise. It would also state that digital assets received as compensation or disposed of when held for sale to customers should be reported like comparable income of the same type. Revenue collected under the proposed chapter would be deposited in the General Fund and remain subject to appropriation. These provisions are draft legislative text only and should not be read as current Massachusetts tax law unless enacted.

Status and legislative timeline

The bill was filed as Senate Docket 2422 on January 17, 2025, and introduced as Senate No. 2008 on February 27, 2025. It was referred to the Joint Committee on Revenue, with the House concurring the same day. Legislative tracking sources list a committee hearing scheduled and rescheduled in fall 2025, followed by an April 1, 2026 action extending the committee reporting date to June 25, 2026. For WordPress taxonomy purposes, the best current status is In committee.

Editorial classification and review notes

For CryptoSlate’s law library, S.2008 belongs under Government Crypto Holdings, Custody, Taxation & Reporting, and Market Structure & Regulatory Perimeter. Editors should also track related Massachusetts measures, including H.5255, a committee bill reported from Revenue in March 2026 as a new draft of H.3279. That related House vehicle may become more relevant if it supersedes the Senate proposal or carries amended language. Because S.2008 would take effect only upon enactment, the effective-date field should remain blank until enactment occurs or final text provides a different operative date.

Key provisions

Public-fund Bitcoin investment authority

Would allow the treasurer to invest public funds in Bitcoin from the General Fund, Stabilization Fund, State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund, or other funds approved by the General Court, capped at 10% of each account.

Government Holdings Source

State retirement fund ETP exposure

Would let state retirement funds invest in exchange-traded products registered by the SEC, CFTC, or Massachusetts Securities Division.

Retirement funds Source

Digital financial asset definitions

Defines digital financial asset broadly to include virtual currencies, cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, NFTs, and other exclusively digital assets with economic or access rights.

Regulatory perimeter Source

Custody and holding methods

Requires acquired digital assets to be held directly through a secure custody solution, by a qualified custodian, or through a registered investment-company ETP.

Custody Source

Digital currency revenue excise

Would impose a 5% excise on digital gross revenues in digital currency and treat certain digital asset income like comparable income categories.

Taxation & Reporting Source

Digital asset lending authority

Would allow the treasurer to loan a digital financial asset only where doing so would not increase the state's financial risk and under treasurer rules or guidelines.

Government Holdings Source

Timeline

  1. Filed as Senate Docket 2422

    S.2008 text was filed as SD.2422 by Sen. Barry R. Finegold.

    Draft Source
  2. Introduced and referred

    S.2008 was introduced and referred to the Joint Committee on Revenue; House concurred.

    In committee Source
  3. Revenue hearing scheduled

    Joint Committee on Revenue hearing scheduled for Oct. 7, 2025.

    In committee Source
  4. Revenue hearing updated

    Hearing rescheduled and virtual hearing end time updated.

    In committee Source
  5. Reporting date extended

    Senate action extended the reporting date to June 25, 2026.

    In committee Source

Who it affects

Actors

Joint Committee on Revenue, Massachusetts General Court, Massachusetts public pension funds, Massachusetts State Treasurer

Asset classes

Bitcoin, Digital financial assets, Exchange-traded products, Stablecoins

Official sources

Editorial note

Pending bill only; do not describe as enacted or effective. Recheck around June 25, 2026, the extended Joint Revenue reporting date. Track related H.5255/H.3279 movement separately.