A new law known as the “Blockchain Basic Laws,” or HB 639, was recently passed in New Hampshire. The law was signed by Governor Kelly Ayotte and is now being pushed by the New Hampshire Blockchain Council.
Details of HB 639
This newly signed law aims to ensure that people have the right to “self-custody” their digital assets. Simply put, this allows people to own cryptocurrency in their own wallets instead of having to rely on a bank or exchange.
Furthermore, it safeguards citizens’ freedom to pay for legitimate goods and services with cryptocurrency without intervention from the federal, state, or local governments.
Additionally, HB 639 shields those who manage blockchain infrastructure from being unjustly thrown into rules intended for more established financial institutions. This includes activities such as operating a node, mining, or staking.
In particular, it seeks to stop these activities from being automatically categorized as “money transmission” or “securities” activities.
What does this tell us about New Hampshire’s crypto stance?
Moreover, it protects blockchain “validators” from legal action or liability for merely carrying out that validation task. Furthermore, the law establishes a “Blockchain Dispute Docket,” which is essentially a specialized court track or procedure manned by judges or officials with blockchain expertise.
The purpose of this process is to handle lawsuits pertaining to blockchain and cryptocurrency more quickly and predictably than a general court might.
This expands upon the first state-level “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” established by New Hampshire in May 2025. For those unaware, HB 302 was signed to permit the state treasurer to invest up to 5% of public funds in Bitcoin.
New Hampshire Blockchain Council’s President weighs in
Remarking on the same, Keith Ammon, President of the New Hampshire Blockchain Council and prime sponsor of the legislation, said,
With Governor Ayotte’s signature on HB 639, New Hampshire has once again demonstrated that it intends to lead the nation in blockchain innovation.
Ammon continued,
Entrepreneurs, investors, developers, and innovators across America should know that New Hampshire is open for blockchain business.
Taken together, both bills present one goal. While HB 302 introduced Bitcoin to the state, HB 639 is establishing legal safeguards for individuals and companies operating in the market.
This came as New Hampshire was also debating plans to permit up to $100 million in taxable revenue bonds to be used to finance the purchase of Bitcoin by a borrower connected to CleanSpark.
Should the funding be authorized, it would be yet another illustration of how Bitcoin treasury tactics are extending beyond conventional debt and equity markets.
Final Summary
- The HB 639 opens the door for individuals to own cryptocurrency in their own wallets instead of having to rely on a bank or exchange.
- This new law is very much in line with the state’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Bill, which together works towards one goal.
