Virginia Blockchain Council

Join us this Wednesday May 13 for hot takes from Consensus Miami. ​What actually mattered? What was overhyped? And what are the real signals vs. noise for builders, investors, and policymakers? No panels. No slides. Just good conversations. Happy hour hosted by DC DAO, Stand with Crypto and VBC ( @DCDAOxyz, @StandWithCrypto , @VABlockCouncil) Register here: luma.com/qkeyoyb7 Follow us to stay plugged into DC’s crypto scene!

Great energy at Virginia’s first Bitcoin Merchant Day. Big difference between talking and doing and this was all doing. 
Vendors and attendees learned to transact, download wallets, and use Bitcoin in real time. From food and auto to healthcare and construction. Real businesses, real payments, real momentum. Big thank you to @blackirissocial Stay tuned for the next one!

We turned a conference room in the Virginia General Assembly into a live blockchain demo floor. 12+ monitors, computers, sensors, tables — all packed into one car and set up for the Virginia Blockchain Showcase. Robbie Boyes running UAV digital twin hashing and on-chain verification. @tempest_wx stations writing live atmospheric data. RanDAO. Vineyard Vantage doing sensor-to-ledger agricultural provenance. Every table had a working system. The room was electric. Dozens of conversations at once, legislators crowding around screens, curiosity feeding curiosity. That's what happens when you show instead of pitch. Huge thanks to Terry Kilgore's office for the room, the @BSVAssociation for hosting, and the @VABlockCouncil, @DigitalChamber, and NABA for making it happen. Bring the tech to the policymakers. Repeat everywhere. #BlockchainPolicy #Virginia #AgTech #SmartContracts

Virginia, it’s happening. ⚡ We’re hosting Virginia’s first Bitcoin Merchant Day right here in Richmond. For the first time, you’ll be able to: – Spend Bitcoin with local businesses – See live demos on how merchants accept it – Connect with builders, entrepreneurs, and early adopters – Experience what a circular Bitcoin economy actually feels like This isn’t theory. This is real commerce. 🟠 Saturday, April 25th 📍 Black Iris Social Club ⏰ 12–4 PM Spend Bitcoin. Support Local. Build the Future. Vendors Looking to grow you business -- let us introduce you to a whole new group of customers and clients! Limited space still available.

Busy week for the VBC!

Virginia Advances Digital Asset Policy (HB798) The Virginia General Assembly has passed HB 798, legislation updating the Commonwealth’s Unclaimed Property Act to recognize digital financial assets like cryptocurrency. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk awaiting signature. The bill ensures that if digital assets become dormant, there is a clear legal framework for custody, reporting, and ultimately returning value to rightful owners. The bill, patroned by Cliff Hayes Jr., passed with overwhelming bipartisan support — 96-2 in the House and unanimously in the Senate. While technical, this is an important step. Recognizing digital assets in statute helps modernize Virginia’s financial laws and signals the Commonwealth’s continued engagement with emerging technologies

This view never gets old especially when discussing blockchain! #vbc

VIRGINIA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: DAOs & DIGITAL ASSETS MOVING FORWARD HB293 — Virginia DAO Bill
HB293 has passed the House floor by a 59–37 vote, largely along party lines, and now crosses over to the Senate. We’re cautiously optimistic as the companion Senate bill was previously killed this session. Amendments were adopted to directly address concerns raised by the Bar Association and SCC, strengthening the legislation and clarifying oversight. With those issues addressed, we’re hopeful the Senate will give HB293 a fair and thoughtful review as Virginia continues to modernize its approach to decentralized governance. HB798 — Unclaimed Property & Digital Assets HB798 has passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, 96–2. This bill modernizes Virginia’s unclaimed property framework by clearly addressing digital financial assets, and the strong bipartisan vote signals broad agreement on the need for clarity and consumer protection. HB798 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

🚀 Bitcoin & Blockchain: The Year Ahead 📅 Wednesday, Feb 18 6-8pm What does this year really hold for Bitcoin and blockchain in Virginia and beyond. Discuss what actually matters for builders, business owners, investors, and policymakers. Where Bitcoin adoption is accelerating (and where it isn’t) The real-world use cases for blockchain beyond hype Policy, regulation, and what’s coming out of Virginia and beyond How to think about the space in 2026 with clarity, not noise This isn’t a sales pitch or a beginner lecture. It’s a room full of people who are curious, thoughtful, and engaged asking good questions and comparing notes on what’s next. Good conversation. Sharp people. A look ahead that’s grounded and practical. GET REGISTERED!! 👇 👇 luma.com/tfh151re

Legislative Assistant Luncheon today. Big shout out to for leading the way. @BSVAssociation @AlexanderMann

Legislative Update – Momentum on HB 293 DAO Bill Today, HB 293 advanced out of committee and is now headed to the House floor for a full vote. This marks an important step forward not just for the bill itself, but for the broader work underway in the Commonwealth to thoughtfully engage with emerging technologies. This progress reflects months of deliberate effort and collaboration. The Commonwealth, the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Patron, legislative staff, and a wide range of stakeholders have all leaned into the hard work of getting this right—balancing innovation with clarity, consumer protection, and regulatory integrity. That kind of engagement matters, especially when shaping frameworks that will influence how new organizational and technological models responsibly operate in Virginia.

If you wanted to understand what the big fight is over stable coins this video does a very good job of explaining. youtu.be/9fPp4-PeyXo?si…

SB557 UPDATE — THE CONVERSATION MOVES FORWARD ⚖️ After a full and thoughtful committee hearing, SB557 Cryptocurrency Strategic Reserve was defeated on a 13–2 vote. That said, this was an important moment for Virginia. What SB557 would have done:
• Gave the State Treasurer authority to consider digital assets — not a mandate
• Established an advisory committee
• Required biennial reporting to the General Assembly
• Limited eligibility to large-cap assets (avg. $500B+ market cap)
• Required diversification to manage risk The debate was clear:
🏦 Bankers raised concerns about volatility and public funds
🧠 Proponents emphasized optionality, guardrails, and long-term preparedness This is a $2 trillion global asset class. Other states like New Hampshire and Texas have already begun exploring or already have invested in strategic reserve frameworks. Virginia isn’t there yet — but the conversation is no longer theoretical. Policy innovation rarely passes on the first try. What matters is that the issue is now on the record, on the radar, and moving forward. Appreciate the serious engagement from legislators on an emerging topic that isn’t going away.

Virginia General Assembly: House Side Momentum on DAO Bill HB293 HB293 (The Limited Liability Decentralized Autonomous Organization Act) moved out of subcommittee today. The vote was not unanimous, and the Bar Association remains opposed, but the bill advanced. Equally important: a number of community members showed up, took the time to participate, and advocated on behalf of the bill. That kind of engagement matters. The good news overall? With HB293 moving forward, we remain cautiously optimistic as we continue doing what actually moves the needle: educating, clarifying, and bringing precision to the conversation. Progress isn’t always linear, but clarity compounds. Up Next Today: SB557 Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve bill (SB557) in General Laws. This bill is about optionality, fiduciary discretion, and allowing the Treasurer to evaluate — not mandate. Stay tuned

Busy day today