California Takes a Leap Forward: Accepting Cryptocurrency for Government Payments by 2026

California is poised to become a pioneer in government cryptocurrency adoption. Assembly Bill 1180 (AB 1180), which passed the State Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support, paves the way for state agencies to accept digital currencies like Bitcoin starting July 1, 2026. The bill outlines a pilot program under California’s Digital Financial Assets Law (DFAL) that will run until January 1, 2031.