Crypto Law Profile
Ohio HB 18 is a pending House bill that would create a state digital-asset reserve framework, address retirement-system ETP investments, and permit limited Treasurer investment in digital assets.
Ohio House Bill 18 (HB 18), commonly introduced as the Ohio Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve Act, is a pending Ohio House bill concerning public-sector digital-asset holdings. As of June 10, 2026, the bill had not been enacted and had no effective date. It remained in the House Technology and Innovation Committee after a fifth hearing was listed in October 2025.
HB 18 is aimed at creating a statutory path for limited state exposure to digital assets through the Treasurer of State and, in related provisions, through exchange-traded products considered by state retirement systems. The introduced bill framed the measure as the “Ohio Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve Act,” while later substitute-bill summaries describe the short title as the “Ohio Strategic Reserve Act.” Because the measure remains pending, the operative text should be checked against the latest committee substitute before publication or import.
The bill is not written as a general retail crypto framework. Instead, it focuses on government funds, public investment authority, custody controls, and investment vehicles. In the introduced version, “digital asset” was defined broadly to include virtual currency, cryptocurrency, native electronic assets, stablecoins, non-fungible tokens, and other electronically native assets that confer economic, proprietary, access, or governance rights.
HB 18 was introduced in the Ohio House during the 136th General Assembly by Rep. Steve Demetriou, with listed co-sponsors including Representatives Fischer, Johnson, King, Lorenz, T. Mathews, and Williams. It was referred to the House Technology and Innovation Committee on January 28, 2025. Committee materials later identified a substitute bill during a May 27, 2025 hearing, and legislative tracking materials listed the bill as amended on October 7, 2025. A fifth committee hearing was listed for October 14, 2025.
Available public records reviewed for this profile did not show a House floor vote, Senate passage, enactment, or governor signature. A LegiScan vote page reported no roll-call record on file, and state retirement-system legislative materials reviewed in May 2026 still described HB 18 by its House committee status. The recommended canonical Crypto Laws status is therefore “In committee,” and the recommended law type is “Bill.”
If enacted, HB 18 would make Ohio one of the U.S. states considering a formal public-sector digital-asset reserve structure. Its practical effect would depend on final bill language, available investable funds, Treasurer discretion, custody arrangements, rulemaking, and any later amendments adopted by the General Assembly. Editors should avoid treating the bill as operative law unless and until the Ohio Legislature records final passage and enactment.
This profile is a legal-reference summary for CryptoSlate readers. It is not legal, tax, investment, trading, or compliance advice. Status-sensitive statements should be rechecked against the Ohio Legislature bill page, committee records, and any final enrolled version before publication.
Substitute materials describe a reserve fund in the custody of the Treasurer of State, outside the state treasury.
Latest summaries say the Treasurer could invest interest earnings from certain state funds in digital assets if HB 18 advances.
The bill addresses state retirement-system authority for investments in exchange-traded products, subject to fiduciary duties.
Introduced text required digital assets to be held through secure custody, a qualified custodian, or a registered exchange-traded product.
Introduced text limited eligible digital assets to ETPs with at least $750 billion average market capitalization over 12 months.
HB 18 was introduced by Rep. Steve Demetriou for the 136th General Assembly.
The bill was referred to the House Technology and Innovation Committee.
Committee materials identified a substitute bill, L_136_0174-3, during the second hearing.
Legislative tracking materials listed HB 18 as amended during a fourth committee hearing.
A committee announcement listed HB 18 for a fifth House Technology and Innovation hearing.
House Technology and Innovation Committee, Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio state retirement systems, Ohio Treasurer of State
Cryptocurrency, Digital assets, Exchange-traded products, NFTs, Stablecoins
As of June 10, 2026, HB 18 remains a pending Ohio House bill. The introduced bill used the short name “Ohio Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve Act,” while substitute-material summaries refer to the “Ohio Strategic Reserve Act.”
