Oklahoma Senate Bill 325 (SB 325) Advances, Bringing the State Closer to Allowing Employees to Receive Wages in Bitcoin

SB 325 is part of a broader trend among U.S. states exploring BTC integration into public financial systems.

Oklahoma is set to begin discussing whether to allow state employees to be paid in Bitcoin, as a new bill has advanced to the committee stage.

Senate Bill 325 (SB 325) would permit government workers and all Oklahoma residents to opt to receive salary payments in the digital asset. The bill was introduced by Senator Dusty Deevers.

The proposal is part of a broader trend among U.S. states exploring BTC integration into public financial systems. The measure comes shortly after another crypto-related bill, House Bill 1203, was introduced in the Oklahoma House of Representatives on January 15.

The separate legislation, known as the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, was brought forward by Representative Cody Maynard. It aims to permit state pension funds and savings accounts to allocate a portion of their holdings to Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation.

Maynard has highlighted the advantages of BTC as an independent monetary system that is not subject to government control. He has argued that traditional fiat currency loses purchasing power due to excessive money printing, while Bitcoin serves as a safeguard against inflationary policies.

Several states have introduced similar proposals to incorporate Bitcoin into their financial reserves. In Pennsylvania, lawmakers put forward a bill in November 2024 that would enable the state Treasury to invest up to 10% of its assets in BTC. Representative Mike Cabell, a key proponent of the initiative, has pointed to institutional asset managers like BlackRock and Fidelity, which have added BTC to their portfolios to mitigate macroeconomic risks.

Texas has also taken steps toward Bitcoin adoption at the state level. On December 12, state legislator Giovanni Capriglione introduced the Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act. The proposal suggests that the Texas comptroller of public accounts should hold BTC as a reserve asset for a minimum of five years.

With SB 325 now under committee review, Oklahoma joins a growing list of states considering Bitcoin adoption for salaries, pensions, and treasury reserves.