Indiana Becomes First U.S. State to Allow Crypto in Public Retirement Plans

Indiana became the first U.S. state to permit Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in state-managed retirement and savings plans after Governor Mike Braun signed House Bill 1042 into law. The legislation requires these programs to offer at least one cryptocurrency investment option through a self-directed brokerage account, allowing participants to operate nodes, conduct peer-to-peer transactions and access crypto exchange-traded funds, while stablecoin-linked funds remain excluded due to insufficient regulatory clarity. The law also prohibits public agencies, counties, municipalities and townships from restricting individual cryptocurrency use, and gives pension providers until July 1, 2027, to implement the required digital asset features.