California recently passed AB 1052, a California Assembly Bill to allow spending with cryptocurrency and manage inactive crypto wallets. In this way, California can regulate digital assets.
On June 3, the State Assembly unanimously passed AB 1052, which states digital assets that are held on exchanges will be treated as “unclaimed property” if they are left untouched for over three years, with a 78–0 vote. Instead of selling off these assets, the bill would require them to be sent to a custodian with a license—meaning that they would remain in crypto.
🇺🇸 JUST IN : California Assembly passes bill to regulate Digital Assets under 'Unclaimed Property' law.
— Bitcoin Laws (@Bitcoin_Laws) June 4, 2025
The bill now moves to the Senate.
Law explained: Assets left on an exchange for 3 years will transferred to the state, and can then be claimed by the owner. pic.twitter.com/u9XftO0XRy
Inactive account users won’t have their funds liquidated by the state, meaning they won’t lose them. Instead, they’ll be able to reclaim their cryptocurrency and get back proper identification. This is similar to how California currently manages unclaimed bank accounts, except it takes the idiosyncratic nature of digital assets into account.
The legislation additionally enables residents and businesses in California to accept cryptocurrency as a payment option for any amount of goods and services. With this move, the legal environment that encourages the use of cryptocurrencies to grow in the economy gets clarity.
The law will come into effect on July 1, 2026, if it passes the California Senate and is signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. Further, the law will require any business involving a digital financial asset to be licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation unless specifically exempt.
Community Reactions
Reactions to the bill have been divided. People from the crypto community were probably told that they do not want to see government overreach. But this news is considered a much-needed modernization of asset-related laws.
According to Eric Peterson, policy director of the Satoshi Action Fund and early draftsman of the bill, the bill doesn’t target self-custodied wallets and is meant to prevent forced liquidation. He said, “Rather than selling your Bitcoin after three years of inactivity, custodians must transfer your actual BTC to a licensed custodian of the state’s selection.”
Other crypto enthusiasts like Dennis Porter of Satoshi Action Fund and ex-Coinbase lawyer Hailey Lennon supported him too. They said similar laws exist elsewhere in the U.S. and that California’s bill offers a more crypto-friendly version because to fiat but hold assets.
Conclusion
California’s AB 1052 will help create a regulatory framework for digital assets that is clear and fair. To help protect inactive crypto from being liquidated and make legal crypto payments, the bill balances innovation with consumer protection. If passed in full, it could establish a blueprint for states wishing to regulate virtual coins without strangling growth.
