Louisiana Leaps into Crypto Era, State Services Now Accept Bitcoin Payments

• Louisiana now accepts Bitcoin, Bitcoin Lightning Network, and USD Coin for state services.
• A conversion service changes crypto payments into U.S. dollars before depositing into state accounts.
• The initiative aims to modernize government operations and provide citizens with more payment options.

Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming, M.D., has announced that the state will now accept Bitcoin, Bitcoin Lightning Network, and USD Coin (USDC) as valid payment methods for state services. The first cryptocurrency payment was made today to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries received its first cryptocurrency payment on Tuesday. However, the state isn't accepting crypto directly. Instead, a service converts crypto payments into U.S. dollars, so the state avoids handling the digital currency.

“A special service converts incoming crypto payments into U.S. dollars, depositing them into state accounts like a credit or debit transaction. This setup helps the state avoid past concerns about accepting crypto and supports adopting new technologies,” the announcement explains.

Furthermore, Dr. Fleming called this initiative an important move toward updating government operations, saying:

“In today’s digital world, government systems need to adapt and adopt new technologies. By allowing cryptocurrency as a payment option, we’re not just innovating; we’re giving citizens more choice and freedom when dealing with state services.”

At present, Louisiana is working with Bead Pay and local partners to keep the system running smoothly.

Louisiana's move to accept Bitcoin is part of a larger push to bring new technologies into public services. Louisiana State Representative Mark Wright, who has authored several bills on digital assets and chaired the State Treasurer's task force in 2022, expressed his excitement about the state's growing digital payment options under Treasurer Fleming. He looks forward to collaborating with Fleming and others to keep Louisiana at the forefront of digital payments.

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah

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