Indiana is moving closer to formally opening its public retirement system to digital assets. The state legislature has passed a bill that would allow some retirement and savings plans to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies and spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
Governor Mike Braun is expected to sign House Bill 1042 into law within the next 10 days, and with that, the policy would be official.
Indiana Senate Committee, Source: Louisville Public Media
If signed, the new law will authorize public funds in Indiana to invest in digital asset products, including spot crypto ETFs. It also reaffirms the right of residents to access and invest in other cryptocurrency-related financial products.
Supporters say this move is part of the state’s broader effort to modernize the existing investment strategy and ensure it keeps up with financial innovation.
Indiana is not acting alone. Several other states have already taken similar steps to integrate crypto-linked investment products into their public finance systems.
States like Wyoming, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Arizona have moved to allow public funds to gain exposure to digital assets. In many cases, these states are focusing on regulated products like ETFs rather than direct crypto purchases.
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Indiana’s Pension Fund Strategy
This step is a step forward considering Indiana’s previous crypto exposure proposal introduced last year. House Bill 1322, according to Tronweekly, was proposed by State Representative Jake Teshka and seeks to allow the state’s pension funds to invest in both Bitcoin futures ETFs and spot Bitcoin ETFs.
The goal of the bill is to diversify the investment strategy of public retirement funds. These funds provide retirement benefits for state employees, which includes teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other government workers.
Lawmakers backing the proposal argue that adding regulated Bitcoin ETF exposure could help improve long-term returns while spreading risk across other asset classes.
With the governor’s signature expected very soon, Indiana may soon join the list of states that are bringing digital assets into their public.
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