Arizona has taken a significant step towards integrating digital assets into the public treasury. The Arizona Senate Finance Committee approved Bill SB1649, known as the "Digital Asset Reserve Fund Bill," by a 4-2 vote, moving it to the next stage. The bill will now go to the Senate Rules Committee and continue its legislative process.
SB1649 envisions the establishment of a "Digital Asset Strategic Reserve Fund" to be managed by the state. This fund aims to hold certain crypto assets that come into the possession of Arizona authorities under a structured reserve system. Specifically, it is planned that digital assets that are seized, confiscated, or voluntarily transferred to the state will be collected under this new fund.
The bill provides a clear framework for how digital assets will be stored and managed under state control. In this respect, Arizona is working on a model that shows that crypto assets can be addressed not only from the perspective of the private sector or individual investors, but also from a public finance perspective.
XRP Explicitly Defined as a Reserve Asset
One of the most striking elements of SB1649 is the explicit inclusion of XRP among the eligible assets for the reserve. The bill clearly states that XRP and other eligible digital instruments can be held within the reserve in cases of state seizure or voluntary takeover.
This explicit reference has symbolic significance in the crypto market, particularly for XRP. The mention of a specific token by name in a state-level legal document is considered a significant sign of institutional and public acceptance of digital assets.
However, the bill focuses on how to manage assets already under state control, rather than initiating a new investment program. In other words, it aims not for Arizona to directly purchase crypto from the market, but rather to hold existing and future digital assets within an institutional framework.
Custody and Management Framework Defined
According to the bill, the management of the reserve fund will be given to the Arizona State Treasurer. The Treasurer will be responsible for the secure custody of digital assets and the management of the portfolio. However, this authority is not unlimited; There is a requirement to comply with a defined custody plan and regulated oversight solutions. The text states that tools such as regulated custody services and exchange-traded products can be used. Thus, the aim is to ensure the security of digital assets through regulated solutions. Not leaving control entirely to private platforms is a key element in terms of protecting public oversight.
The bill does not directly replace Arizona's existing "Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act." Instead, it establishes a complementary structure for how digital assets held by public institutions will be stored.
The process will continue in the Senate and the House of Representatives
SB1649, which passed the Finance Committee with a 4-2 vote, will now be considered in the Senate plenary session. If it receives majority support there, it will be sent to the Arizona House of Representatives. Amendments to the bill may be proposed during the House stage.
If the bill is enacted in its current form, Arizona could become one of the first US states to create a special reserve structure for seized or acquired crypto assets. The explicit designation of XRP as a reserve asset is seen as a development that could open this model up to debate on a national scale.
