Ohio residents can soon pay state agencies via cryptocurrency through the Buckeye Billfold initiative, Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague announced Thursday.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio residents and businesses will soon have a new way to pay state agencies.
State Treasurer Robert Sprague announced the launch of the Buckeye Billfold initiative, a new digital wallet platform that will allow Ohioans to make payments to participating state agencies using multiple payment methods, including credit cards, ACH bank transfers and cryptocurrency. Traditional payment options, such as cash and checks, will remain available.
State officials say the initiative is designed to modernize government transactions and provide more flexibility in how residents interact with state services.
“Modernizing the Treasurer’s office and bringing our operations into the future of public finance has always been central to my administration,” Sprague said in announcing the program. “Through the Buckeye Billfold initiative, Ohio residents and businesses will be able to use cutting-edge technology and conduct financial transactions in whatever payment method works best for them.”
According to the treasurer’s office, Ohio will become the first state to authorize and promote statewide agency use and acceptance of digital asset payments. Under the program, cryptocurrency payments will not remain in digital assets. Instead, cryptocurrency will be converted into U.S. dollars at the moment the transaction is completed, ensuring the payment is finalized immediately and deposited into the state’s banking system.
Officials say the system is intended to reduce transaction costs and streamline payment processing for both government agencies and the public.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said the initiative positions Ohio as an early adopter of emerging financial technologies.
“Ohio is leading the way by embracing Bitcoin and cryptocurrency innovation,” LaRose said. “By modernizing how Ohioans interact with state government, we are helping position our state at the forefront of the future digital economy.”
The launch follows previous efforts by Ohio to incorporate cryptocurrency into government payments.
In 2019, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued an opinion finding that an earlier cryptocurrency payment effort, which allowed businesses to pay taxes using the currency, had not followed the required process for authorization as a financial transaction device through the State Board of Deposit.
Now, state officials say that changes made last year through the State Board of Deposit formally authorize cryptocurrency use. In September 2025, Sprague and the board unanimously approved Grant Street Group to facilitate cryptocurrency payment processing for state fees and services.
Sprague said the Buckeye Billfold program was developed with legal authorization and operational testing in place before launch.
“Innovation is part of our mission at the Treasurer’s office and by offering a digital wallet that accepts cryptocurrency, Ohio is leading the way for other states and positioning itself to be ready for the modern global economy,” he said.