Ohio passed HB 116, which exempts Bitcoin payments under $200 from state capital gains tax and confirms rights for self-custody and mining, removing tax and legal barriers for everyday crypto transactions. (Background: Regulatory tightening! Global Bitcoin ATM count decreased by 11.1%, with the U.S. seeing the steepest decline at 15.4%) (Additional context: Australia strengthens cryptocurrency ATM regulations: cash transaction limit of 5000 AUD, dual upgrades for KYC and monitoring) The Ohio House of Representatives officially passed the HB 116 'Bitcoin Rights' bill on June 18, stipulating that Bitcoin payments under $200 are exempt from state capital gains tax, providing substantial tax relief for cryptocurrency enthusiasts. Exemptions for payments below $200 free up small transactions. According to Coingape, HB 116 adopts a 'de minimis' approach, directly eliminating the need to track and report low-value transactions. The Technology and Innovation Committee initially approved it with a unanimous 13 to 0 vote, followed by a vote in the House of 68 in favor and 26 against, reflecting a rare bipartisan consensus. Supporters argue that daily expenses like groceries and coffee no longer need to calculate offset price differences, lowering the usage threshold and potentially pushing Bitcoin from a pure investment asset to a real medium of exchange. The bill's other highlight is the clear protection of individuals and businesses' rights to self-custody digital assets and operate mining equipment and nodes. These provisions provide legal certainty for decentralized infrastructure, and the state government hopes to attract blockchain operators for investment and related job creation. However, critics are concerned that regulatory gaps and mining energy consumption could impact local environmental policies, and further execution details remain to be observed. The external community is optimistic about the bill's passage, as HB 116 will next be sent to the Senate for review and must be signed by the governor to take effect. Due to the strong bipartisan consensus shown earlier, there is widespread optimism for its eventual implementation. If successfully enacted into law, Ohio will become one of the few jurisdictions in the U.S. to provide clear tax exemptions for small crypto transactions, offering a replicable regulatory model for other states. For the crypto community, this legislation removes the biggest pain point for small transactions and highlights the urgency of states competing in digital asset policy. Whether HB 116 can drive more widespread everyday payments and industry clusters will be a focus worth following.

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