Regulation of cryptocurrencies is one of the most complex issues facing the crypto world. And it is that, for many years, governments around the planet have been reluctant to recognize cryptocurrencies as real money with exchange value. However, this seems to be changing little by little, as more governments and regulatory agencies are open to recognizing the value of virtual currencies. The best example of this being that Texas could recognize Bitcoin as a currency.
The regulatory problemIt is impossible to minimize the damage that the lack of a strong regulatory framework causes to the cryptoassets ecosystem. Well, although more and more people around the world acquire and use Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies as a method of payment and savings. The fact that they are not recognized by law, leaves crypto users in a situation of total defenselessness.
Thus, despite how convenient they may be, cryptocurrencies are banned in many countries, or they face such legal uncertainty that companies and citizens are not willing to use them. Fearing the possible legal consequences that this may have, or the lack of protection that the state can provide when doing business with Bitcoin and other currencies.
For this reason, the advances that the main governments of the world are slowly making are important. Which are opening the doors not only to the emergence of a greater number of crypto companies. Even allowing them to go public legally as is the case with Coinbase. If not in addition to the use of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as current money, this being the case of Texas and its new law.
Texas could be Bitcoin territoryThis is so thanks to Bill 4474 introduced by Tan Parker, a member of the Texas House of Representatives. It proposes to include the rights of buyers who obtain control of the virtual currency for the purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code.
If this law is passed, Texas could recognize Bitcoin as a legal tender under its own regulatory framework. Qualifying cryptocurrencies as a digital representation of value that functions as a medium of exchange, unit of account or store of value.
This would not only be providing legal protection to the inhabitants of Texas and state companies that decide to carry out operations with Bitcoin, but also with any other virtual currency. Thus expanding the possibilities for crypto trading within the United States, and creating an incentive to carry out operations with crypto assets in the state. Becoming Texas, if the reform is finally approved and implemented by September 1, the second state after Wyoming to recognize the legality of virtual currencies.
https://www.forex-news.com/crypto-news/texas-could-recognize-bitcoin-as-a-currency/....
This could be great for texas attracting crypto miners in greater numbers.
Texas currently has new wind farms producing cheap electricity which allows miners to run operations off relatively carbon neutral green energy. They have Elon Musk and tesla residing in state constructing 100+ megawatt hour batteries for texas power grid. Large grid tied lithium batteries could give crypto miners in texas greater advantages. Due to them significantly reducing the cost of electricity. Now it appears texas has introduced this bill which would essentially legalized bitcoin. Variables may be aligning in unison to produce a perfect storm whereby texas emerges as one of the most powerful regions of emerging crypto mass adoption in the world.
The last sentence in the article mentions wyoming as recognizing the legality of "virtual currencies":
Wyoming Passes Bill to Recognize Cryptocurrencies as MoneyIn the United States, the state of Wyoming passed a bill that will allow for cryptocurrencies to be recognized as money on Jan. 31, according to the state legislature website.
On Jan. 18, Wyoming legislation presented the bill, which would help to clarify the classification of cryptocurrency.
As reported by Cointelegraph earlier this month, the bill will place crypto assets into three categories: digital consumer assets, digital securities and virtual currencies. Any digital assets that fall into those three categories will be defined as intangible personal property, granting virtual currencies the same treatment as fiat money.
The proposed bill also authorizes banks to “provide custodial services for digital assets consistent with this section upon providing sixty (60) days written notice to the commissioner.”
The bill will go in effect on Mar. 1, as stated on the Wyoming legislature website.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/wyoming-passes-bill-recognize-cryptocurrencies-175700330.html Which is an event which apparently occurred in 2019, that I was unaware of.
It could be interesting to look at wyoming job stats and economic growth to see if legalizing crypto carried a significant positive impact to wyoming's economy and standard of living.