According to an announcement made by the Ohio Secretary of State on Wednesday, Ohio has become the latest state in the U.S. to move towards allowing cryptocurrency payments for government services, following the unanimous approval of its first vendor to handle digital asset transactions by the state deposit commission.
This move makes Ohio the fourth state to authorize the use of cryptocurrency for fee payments, following Colorado and Utah. Louisiana also took similar measures earlier this year through legislation.
This development marks the commission's approval of the first contract with a cryptocurrency payment vendor, building on a proposal unanimously passed by the commission in May 2025 that designated cryptocurrency as an authorized financial transaction tool.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose welcomed the decision, noting that it will help Ohio maintain its status as one of the top business states.
"I want to commend Treasurer Sprague, Auditor Faber, and Attorney General Yost for taking this bold step to position us at the forefront of the emerging digital economy," LaRose stated in a press release on Wednesday.
LaRose added, "There’s a reason we are now among the top five states for business environment in the nation," believing that Ohio "is unafraid to embrace the tools, trends, and technologies that attract job creators."
Cointelegraph has reached out to the Ohio Secretary of State's office for more details on the implementation timeline and which cryptocurrencies will be supported.
In April of this year, LaRose and Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague called for the commission to authorize cryptocurrency payments, seeking to empower state government agencies to accept cryptocurrency through payment processors designated by the treasury office.
The Secretary of State's office aims to be the first state government agency in Ohio to accept cryptocurrency payments for fees.
LaRose also supports House Bill 18, which aims to establish a strategic cryptocurrency reserve for Ohio.
According to Cointelegraph, this proposal plans to create a digital asset reserve independent of Ohio's Bitcoin (BTC) reserve proposal, which is set to be introduced on December 17, 2024.
Related: From Cafes to Airlines: Which Businesses Will Accept Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP) in 2025
Original article: “Ohio Approves Vendor to Handle Cryptocurrency Payments for State Services”
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