Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming recently announced that residents can now use Bitcoin, Bitcoin Lightning Network and USDC to pay for various state services. The move also makes Louisiana the latest state government in the United States to accept cryptocurrency payments.

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“In today’s digital age, government systems must evolve and embrace new technologies.” John Fleming said. “By introducing cryptocurrencies as payment options, we are not just innovating; we are also providing our citizens with the ability to interact with state services.” flexibility and freedom.”

The first cryptocurrency payment in Louisiana is understood to have been processed, a fine payment to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries via the Bitcoin Lightning Network. John Fleming attributed the development to a partnership between the state government, Bead Pay and local partners. He said the measure was aimed at modernizing the payment system and reducing fraudulent transactions.

While the state accepts cryptocurrencies as payment, funds received will be converted to U.S. dollars. This approach protects the country from cryptocurrency-related volatility. At the same time, such measures also alleviate the concerns of some cryptocurrency believers about the greater centralization of Bitcoin. According to Arkham data, the U.S. federal government holds approximately 200,000 BTC. Although state and federal governments are separate, concerns remain about government control of Bitcoin.

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"I'm pleased to see Louisiana further expand its payment options," Republican state Rep. Mark Wright said in a press release. Mark Wright is also the man behind the promotion of cryptocurrency payments in Louisiana. Readers who have long paid attention to Taiwan-US relations should be familiar with him. He was also the driving force behind the passage of the Taiwan Friendship Resolution by the Louisiana Senate and House of Representatives.

Mark Wright has been an advocate of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. In 2021, he pushed for a resolution in the Louisiana House of Representatives praising anonymous Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto for his contributions to economic security. He also established a Digital Asset Working Group in May 2022, which concluded that cryptocurrencies would be an acceptable form of payment in the state.

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Louisiana isn’t the only state to allow cryptocurrency payments, though. In 2018, Ohio used OhioCrypto.com to accept cryptocurrency for tax payments. Businesses can pay 23 taxes using Bitcoin, which is converted into U.S. dollars through BitPay before entering the treasury.

In 2019, however, Ohio's attorney general claimed that the state treasurer did not have the authority to open the program without the commission's approval and did not follow the bidding process required for payment processors. The program closed within a year, with fewer than 10 companies using it.

That same year, Florida’s Seminole County Tax Department began accepting cryptocurrency payments through BitPay. The county tax collector was later found to have used public funds to fund his own blockchain company and was indicted by the Justice Department.

In March 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis promised to allow businesses to pay taxes in cryptocurrency. The purpose is to make Florida a cryptocurrency-friendly state and encourage fintech innovation.

Colorado, Utah and other places have also opened up similar tax methods. Interestingly, except for Colorado, the above-mentioned states that have opened cryptocurrency payments are basically traditional Republican vote bases. Louisiana is in a red state from the government to the Senate and House of Representatives, which has also deepened the public's association with the Republican Party and encryption.

This article Louisiana accepts cryptocurrency payments, and people can use BTC and USDC to pay fines. It first appeared on Chain News ABMedia.