Share this article
Alaskan Lawmakers Seek to License Bitcoin Businesses
Alaska is considering regulatory changes that would require digital currency firms to obtain money transmission licenses.
Updated Sep 11, 2021, 1:09 p.m. Published Mar 16, 2017, 9:02 a.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Lawmakers in Alaska are seeking regulatory changes that would require certain digital currency services that work in to state to obtain money transmission licenses.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
, introduced yesterday by state representative Kito Fansler, will potentially bring companies that exchange, store or transmit digital currencies like bitcoin on behalf of a customer under the state’s money transmission laws. If approved, relevant companies would need to apply for licensure with the state’s Banking and Securities Commission.
The proposed legislation includes an expanded definition of "virtual currency", including both decentralized and centralized varieties, and covering "open-source, math-based, peer-to-peer- virtual currency" in particular.
Notably, the bill is a follow-up to a previous effort to change state law to account for digital currencies. HB271, which contained much of the same language, failed in committee, months after being introduced in late January 2016.
The latest bill highlights the twin directions that lawmakers in different states have taken on the question of regulating digital currencies.
One the one side, led by states such as New York, licensure frameworks have emerged that include the technology under existing or updated statutes. In places like New Hampshire, by comparison, state officials have sought to create exemptions for digital currency traders.
Alaska State Capitol image via Shutterstock
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Tokenization 'supercycle' set to drive crypto’s next leg higher in 2026: Bernstein
After a choppy end to 2025, Wall Street broker Bernstein said crypto markets have likely bottomed and it sees a broad-based tokenization boom reshaping finance.
What to know:
- Bernstein expects a tokenization 'supercycle' in 2026 spanning stablecoins, capital markets and prediction markets.
- The broker reiterated its $150,000 bitcoin forecast for 2026 and $200,000 as its peak 2027 cycle target.
- Coinbase, Robinhood and other crypto-linked equities are seen as key beneficiaries.
