Minnesota State Senator Jeremy Miller has introduced the Minnesota Bitcoin Act, a proposal he created after a complete shift in his views on Bitcoin.
Minnesota Bitcoin Act Seeks to Modernize State Finances
Minnesota could become one of the first states to use Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for state investments, retirement plans, and tax payments. The Minnesota Bitcoin Act (SF2661), introduced by Senator Jeremy Miller on March 18, aims to expand financial options, modernize payments, and create new opportunities for residents.
“As I do more research on cryptocurrency and hear from more and more constituents, I’ve gone from being highly skeptical to learning more about it, to believing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies,” Miller noted in a March 18 statement.
Miller believes the bill will help “promote prosperity” for Minnesotans by letting the Minnesota State Board of Investment to invest in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, just like it does with traditional assets.
“I believe global digital currencies are here to stay and it’s inevitable that they become more and more mainstream,” he said. He further added Crypto is a versatile digital asset that can be used in multiple ways, including as investments, global currency, or a hedge against inflation. Besides, 23 other states are also exploring similar Bitcoin reserve bills.
Miller’s bill would allow Minnesota state employees to add Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to their retirement accounts. It would also give residents the option to pay state taxes and fees with Bitcoin.
States Follow Lummis’ Lead with Bitcoin Reserve Bills
Several states are pushing forward with Bitcoin and crypto measures. Texas lawmakers are advancing a plan for a state-managed Bitcoin reserve, along with nearly two dozen other states. New Hampshire is considering a bill to allow state investment in Bitcoin, and Colorado and Utah accept crypto for tax payments. Louisiana uses crypto for state service payments. The federal government is also exploring proposals for a national Bitcoin reserve.
Under the bill, investment gains from Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies would be exempt from state income taxes. In the U.S., up to $10,000 paid to the state can be deducted from federal taxes, but amounts above that are taxed at both the state and federal levels.
More U.S. states are introducing Bitcoin reserve bills, following Senator Cynthia Lummis’ July proposal for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, which directs the federal government to buy 200,000 Bitcoin annually for five years, totaling 1 million Bitcoin. On March 12, Lummis reintroduced the BITCOIN Act, allowing the government to hold over 1 million Bitcoin as part of a new reserve.
Bitcoin (BTC) is hovering below the $94,000 level while still showing sensitivity to US economic indicators. Accordingly, this week’s US economic data could spark volatility in the crypto market.
From consumer confidence to labor market strength, economic indicators could influence sentiment and sway crypto prices.
US Economic Data To Watch This Week
The following US economic indicators could affect the portfolios of crypto market traders and investors.
“Let me try to help you make sense of everything that’s going on: Tariff madness, plunging consumer confidence, rising recession odds, market fragility and all the ways that the economy will shape your life,” economist Justin Wolfers remarked.
Consumer Confidence
The Consumer Confidence report will start the list of US economic indicators with crypto implications this week. On Tuesday, April’s Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index will show whether households are optimistic about financial conditions.
March’s 92.9 index signaled a relatively pessimistic outlook among US consumers concerning the economy and their financial situation.
According to data on MarketWatch, the median forecast is 87.4. Strong confidence often correlates with risk-on sentiment, driving investment into Bitcoin and altcoins.
Accordingly, reading below expectations might trigger profit-taking, denting confidence in the economy’s overall strength.
With global trade tensions, an unexpected decline could amplify safe-haven demand for Bitcoin, though volatility remains a risk.
“The soft data suggests that the hard data is set to fall. Consumer Confidence can lead the unemployment rate (inverted). If that ends up being the case this time around, we’re looking at around 6% or higher,” wrote Markets and Mayhem.
JOLTS Job Openings
This week, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLT), which tracks demand, adds to the list of US economic indicators.
The last JOLTS report was released on April 1, covering February 2025 data. It reported job openings at 7.6 million, hires at 5.4 million, and total separations at 5.3 million. The next JOLTS report, for March 2025, is due on Tuesday, with a median forecast of 7.4 million.
A rebound above 7.6 million for crypto could signal economic resilience, boosting risk assets like Bitcoin. Strong openings suggest hiring confidence, potentially increasing disposable income for crypto investments.
However, a weaker-than-expected figure, potentially below the median forecast of 7.4 million, might stoke recession fears. Such an outcome would drive investors toward Bitcoin as a hedge.
Crypto markets react to labor market signals as they influence Federal Reserve (Fed) policy expectations. With rates at 4.25%–4.5%, a tight labor market could delay cuts, pressuring speculative assets.
ADP Employment
The ADP National Employment Report tracks private-sector job growth and will be out on Wednesday. March 2025’s 155,000 jobs beat expectations, signaling labor market strength despite tariff concerns.
A strong reading above 160,000 for crypto could ignite bullish sentiment, as job growth fuels consumer spending and risk appetite. If employment data suggests economic expansion, Bitcoin could gain more upside potential.
However, a miss below the March reading of 155,000 or below the median forecast of 110,000 might spark fears of a slowdown. This could push investors toward stablecoins or Bitcoin as safe havens.
Unlike the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Non-farm Payrolls (NFP), ADP’s payroll-based methodology excludes government jobs. This methodology offers a granular view.
With markets eyeing Fed policy, ADP’s outcome will set the tone for Friday’s NFP.
Q1 GDP
The advance estimate for Q1 2025 GDP will be released on Wednesday. This data also measures economic growth.
Q3 2024’s 2.8% annualized rate fell short of expectations, pressured by trade deficits. Meanwhile, Q4 2024’s 2.4% reading came following a downward revision to imports.
Strong GDP growth above 3% in crypto signals economic health, often boosting Bitcoin as investors embrace risk. Nevertheless, crypto markets are sensitive to GDP revisions and influence Fed rate decisions.
With inflation concerns lingering, a strong GDP, higher than Q4’s 2.4%, might reduce rate-cut hopes, pressuring speculative cryptos. Conversely, sluggish growth could spur expectations of monetary easing.
PCE
The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge is the Core PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures) Price Index. This US economic indicator, covering March, will come out on Wednesday this week after the March 28 data covering February.
After February 2025 saw a 2.5% year-over-year (YoY) PCE index, economists anticipate a modest drop to 2.2% for March, reflecting persistent price pressures.
Nevertheless, a PCE reading below 2.5% for Bitcoin could signal cooling inflation, raising hopes for rate cuts and boosting sentiment toward Bitcoin.
A hotter-than-expected figure above the previous reading of 2.5% might tighten Fed policy expectations. PCE’s exclusion of volatile food and energy prices offers a stable inflation view, making it a key driver of crypto sentiment.
With markets sensitive to monetary policy shifts, traders should monitor services spending, as it reflects consumer resilience. Nevertheless, volatility is likely, as PCE shapes the Fed’s rhetoric.
“March PCE inflation (out on Wed Apr 30) should read 2.1% (rounded). April PCE (out in late May) should read 2.0% (rounded). Tariffs are a boss but this is the Fed’s target measure. It could be time to cut, to be honest, politics aside,” wrote hedge fund manager Ophir Gottlieb.
Initial Jobless Claims
This week, the Initial Jobless Claims, reported every Thursday, adds to the list of US economic indicators. This data measures weekly unemployment filings. Claims are a high-frequency indicator, offering real-time labor market insights, and crypto markets often react swiftly to surprises.
For the week ending April 18, 222,000 claims indicated a steady labor market despite tariff chaos. Accordingly, claims below 222,000 could signal growing employment, fostering risk-on sentiment, and lifting Bitcoin.
However, higher claims above 222,000 could spark concerns of economic softening, driving investors to stablecoins or Bitcoin for safety. With the Fed closely monitoring labor data, an unexpected spike might fuel rate-cut speculation.
Non-farm Payrolls
The Non-farm Payrolls (NFP) report will be released on Friday. March 2025’s 228,000-job gain exceeded expectations, with unemployment at 4.2%.
A strong NFP could drive bullish momentum, as job growth signals consumer spending power. A weak report below the median forecast of 130,000 might trigger recession fears, pushing capital to Bitcoin as a hedge or stablecoins for stability.
NFP’s broad scope, covering 80% of GDP-contributing workers, makes it a market mover. Key interest will also be on wage growth, as 0.3% monthly increases suggest inflation pressures, potentially capping crypto gains.
With markets pricing in Fed policy, surprises could spark sharp volatility.
After years of being branded a ghost chain, Cardano has overtaken Ethereum in core developer activity. The flippening in this metric is fanning fresh enthusiasm that a sustained rally for Cardano price is on the horizon.
Cardano Ranks As Number 1 In Core Developer Activity
According to data from Cryptometheus, Cardano’s core developer activity has surpassed Ethereum over the last year. Per the developer tracker platform, Cardano now ranks in first place after flipping Ethereum with 21,439 GitHub commits in 12 months.
In the period under review, Cardano GitHub commits cut across 550 core repositories. A closer look at Cryptometheus data reveals 12 core projects, while the broader ecosystem is buzzing with 36 projects.
Developer activity on the 36 projects is red-hot, pulling in 4276 GitHub repositories and dousing previous speculation that Cardano is a ghost chain with no clear utility.
The glowing Cardano metrics leave Ethereum in second place after an underwhelming year. Cumulative developer activity on the Ethereum network stood at 20,962 commits, while its core developers did not pull in the same activity levels as Cardano.
Following a poor run of form, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson predicts that Ethereum will crash in 2040. Hoskinson points to Ethereum’s outdated tech, layer 2 fragmentation, and falling developer activity as indicators of a decline.
Ethereum’s position in second place is precarious, given the impressive developer activity recorded by the third-placed Internet Computer. However, a new Ethereum Foundation vision designed to scale the layer 1 may trigger a resurgence in developer activity for the largest altcoin.
ADA Price Set To Record 100% Rally
The impressive on-chain numbers are stoking enthusiasm for a Cardano price rally in the future. At the moment, ADA trades at $0.70 while holding onto a key support level, which the pseudonymous T0ken Talk says could trigger a rally.
Per Token Talk, the incoming rally will see Cardano price surge by up to 100% in this cycle. Zooming out, the cryptoanalyst predicts that ADA can reach a valuation of $10 by 2029.
“ADA sideways around $0.70, but holding key support,” said Token Talk. “Analyst eye potential 100% recovery to $1.20-$1.30.”
For now, the forming of a golden cross sees ADA target $1 amid $20M worth of ADA leaving exchanges. Cardano is angling for ecosystem partnership and is inching toward XRP integration for its Lace Wallet. The partnership is touted to have mutual benefits for both parties, including price performance and broader ecosystem utility.
On March 20, 2025, an important meeting took place between David Sacks, the US Special Advisor on AI and Crypto, and Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Chairman of Abu Dhabi’s investment fund MGX.
This meeting marked significant progress in technological cooperation between the US and the UAE and created new opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency.
What Did David Sacks and Sheikh Tahnoon Discuss?
Sheikh Tahnoon is a powerful figure in the UAE. He is the brother of the UAE President and serves as the country’s National Security Advisor. He also chairs MGX, an investment fund established in 2024 to promote AI and blockchain technologies.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sheikh Tahnoon stated that he and David Sacks discussed AI development, the role of digital currencies, and investment opportunities.
“I explored with David Sacks, the Special Advisor on AI and Crypto, the transformative effects of artificial intelligence across various sectors, the expanding role of digital currencies in reshaping financial systems, and the investment opportunities emerging at their convergence,” Sheikh Tahnoon said.
This meeting took place just one week after MGX announced a $2 billion investment in Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. Notably, MGX conducted this investment using stablecoins, making it the largest crypto-based investment transaction ever.
Under Sheikh Tahnoon’s leadership, MGX is emerging as a major AI investor with allocations across various AI sectors. According to The Wall Street Journal, MGX is expected to receive over $50 billion from Sheikh Tahnoon’s personal assets and other sources in Abu Dhabi.
Additionally, MGX is one of the key backers of Stargate, a $100 billion data center project led by SoftBank and OpenAI, announced at the White House. The fund has also invested in OpenAI, Elon Musk’s xAI, and Amazon-backed Anthropic.
This meeting was part of a broader series of diplomatic engagements between the US and the UAE. On March 18, President Trump announced on TruthSocial that he had hosted Sheikh Tahnoon for dinner at the White House. They discussed economic and technological cooperation.
“Discussions also included ways for our countries to increase our partnership for the advancing of our economic and technological futures,” President Trump stated.
Additionally, reports have recently surfaced suggesting that the Trump family is negotiating to acquire a stake in Binance.US. However, CZ, the former Binance CEO, has denied these claims. Meanwhile, World Liberty Financial, a DeFi project linked to the Trump family, has been continuously investing in projects like Avalanche, Mantle, Sui Blockchain, and Movement.
