California’s lower house passes crypto payments bill
California's Assembly Bill 1180 (AB 1180) has passed the State Assembly with a unanimous 68-0 vote, allowing state departments to accept digital currencies for fees and transactions. The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) will develop rules under the Digital Financial Assets Law (DFAL) for this purpose. If approved by the Senate and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the bill will take effect on July 1, 2026, with a pilot program running until January 1, 2031. The DFPI must report on crypto transactions by January 1, 2028. AB 1180 aims to align California with states like Florida and Colorado in accepting crypto payments. It also complements AB 1052, which focuses on crypto self-custody rights and validates digital assets as legal payment forms in private transactions. Currently, 117 merchants in California accept Bitcoin payments.
