Louisiana (LA): Bitcoin and virtual-currency law

Summary

Louisiana is one of the few states with a dedicated virtual-currency business licence. The VCBA dates from 2020, and licensing became mandatory on 2023-07-01. In 2026, Act 923 made the VCBA permanent by repealing earlier sunset clauses, and added a federal-preemption clause. Kiosks are regulated under the VCBA:

• $3,000 per day per user;
• a 72-hour hold or a 72-hour cancellation-and-refund right;
• from 2026, refunds at any time if the operator lacked a licence.

A 2026 law (Act 891) sets custody standards for unclaimed digital assets, effective 2027-01-01. A 2026 bill to invest the Budget Stabilization Fund in metals and digital assets (HB 619) died.

1. Money-transmitter licensing and virtual currency

• VCBA, La. R.S. 6:1381 et seq. OFI page (link, saved):
• "The VCBA, which was passed during the 2020 Louisiana Legislative Session, requires the licensure of entities that engage in virtual currency business activities in the State of Louisiana, as defined in LSA-RS 6:1382(22)."
• The implementing rule was published in the 2022-10-20 Louisiana Register and finalized 2023-02-20.
• The OFI accepted NMLS applications from 2023-01-01, and "After July 1, 2023, persons are no longer able to engage in VC business activities in the State of Louisiana without a license."
• Act 331 of 2023 (SB 185), enacted 2023-06-13, added change-of-control and responsible-individual notices, surety bond and net worth requirements, audited financials, quarterly reports, compliance policies, disclosures (§ 1393.1), emergency rules and expanded enforcement.
• Act 923 of 2026 (SB 163, Sen. Reese). Became law without the Governor's signature; effective 2026-08-01 (bill info; Act text saved).
• It repeals Section 3 of Act 331 of 2023 and Section 2 of Act 700 of 2024, which were sunset provisions, so the VCBA continues.
• It adds: if federal law preempts any VCBA licensing provision, the conflicting state provision becomes "null, void, and without force or effect" at the end of the calendar year in which the federal law takes effect.
• Money Transmission Act (R.S. 6:1031–1072): modernized under the MTMA, effective 2026-07-01 per CSBS (enacting act not identified in this pass).

2. Virtual-currency-specific statutes and guidance

3. Crypto ATM / kiosk law

La. R.S. 6:1389, as enacted by Act 369 of 2025 (current text, saved):

• "A. There is a maximum daily transaction limit of three thousand dollars for each user of a virtual currency kiosk."
• "B. The owner or operator of a virtual currency kiosk shall wait seventy-two hours before processing a user's virtual currency kiosk transaction or shall, at such owner's or operator's cost and within seventy-two hours after a virtual currency kiosk transaction, allow the user to cancel and receive a full refund".
• Act 369 also makes anyone who "owns, operates, solicits, markets, advertises, or facilitates a virtual currency kiosk machine" subject to the VCBA, and requires disclosures and written fraud-prevention policies (OFI notice).

Act 482 of 2026 (SB 287, Sen. Reese), effective 2026-08-01 (Act text):

• The operator must let a user cancel and get a full refund "at any time if the owner or operator was not licensed ... at the time of the transaction".
• Refund requests must be acknowledged within 10 business days and completed within 90 calendar days of the request, or of proof of a police or government report. A police report or an FBI IC3 complaint "shall constitute suspected fraudulent activity".
• Live toll-free customer support during operating hours.
• Quarterly reports to the Commissioner of all cancellation and refund requests.

Fee cap: none found. crypto.news lists Louisiana as having a fee cap (crypto.news), but the statutes reviewed contain no fee cap (our reading). Treat that claim as unverified.

Results claimed in secondary sources: "Louisiana's New Crypto Kiosk Law Helps Seniors Recover $200,000 Lost in Scams" (InfoInteract headline; not retrieved, unverified).

4. Tax treatment

• No Louisiana Department of Revenue crypto guidance was retrieved (gap).
• Reports that the State Treasury accepts crypto payments (2024–2025) were not verified in this pass.

5. Notable enforcement

• The OFI says it will take enforcement measures against unlicensed virtual-currency businesses after 2023-07-01 (OFI page). No specific orders were retrieved (gap).
• Louisiana is not among the 34 participating agencies listed in Appendix A Coinme consent order, App. A–B (completeness check, 2026-10-09).

6. Bills, 2025 and 2026 regular sessions

Statuses come from legis.la.gov bill information pages, checked 2026-10-09. The 2026 regular session has ended.

Pending: none. The 2027 regular session begins in spring 2027.

7. Contested and fringe claims

• Sunset repeal without signature. Governor Landry let SB 163 become law without signing. We found no statement explaining why, so motives are unverified.
• "Blockchain Basics" and pro-mining laws. Bitcoin-advocacy groups have claimed Louisiana as an early "right to mine / right to self-custody" state (2024). We did not verify any such statute in this pass; treat the claim as unverified.
• Unclaimed-crypto approaches. Eversheds Sutherland counts Louisiana among the six states that in 2026 allowed delivery of digital assets in native form (JD Supra). Act 891 also provides for sale or liquidation, so "native form" may be temporary.

Saved sources (sources/states/la/)

See sources/states/la/INDEX.md.

Gaps

• Act 700 of 2024 contents.
• The enacting act for the 2026 Money Transmission Act.
• Louisiana DOR guidance and Treasury crypto-payment programs.
• OFI enforcement orders.
• Signing dates of Acts 482 and 891 (the bill pages say "Signed by the Governor" without a date in our extraction).