SB 759

Financial Institutions - Digital Assets and Digital Asset Staking - Regulation (Maryland Financial Innovation Act of 2026)

Sponsor: Ron Watson (District 23)Committee: FinanceSubject: Financial InstitutionsStatus: Hearing 3/12 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Prohibiting certain regulation of certain activities involving digital assets by an agency or other instrumentality of the State or a political subdivision of the State; and clarifying that the provision of digital asset staking as a service is excluded from a certain definition and certain filing and registration requirements under the Maryland Securities Act.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (14)

MGA witness list

FAV 6FavorableFWA 3Favorable with amendmentsUNF 4UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	DeMinco, Lynne	BCRW	Position only
FAV	January, Briannalobbyist	Chamber of Progress	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jean, Howard	Coinbase	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Pao, Yaeunda	Coinbase	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Searcy, Katy Annlobbyist	Coinbase	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Watson, Senator Watsonlegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	White, Marcelinelobbyist	Economic Action Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Bevan-Dangel, Jenniferlobbyist	Economic Action Maryland Fund	Oral
UNF	Brauer, Max	Maryland Office of Attorney General, Securities Division	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Lubin, Melanie	Individual	Oral
FWA	Richards, Evanlobbyist	Maryland Bankers Association	Written (PDF)
FWA	Murray, Rorylobbyist	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Watson, Senator	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Hennen, Amy	Office of Financial Regulation, Maryland Department of Labor	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

BCRWFAV 1

Chamber of ProgressFAV 1

CoinbaseFAV 3

Economic Action MarylandUNF 1

Economic Action Maryland FundUNF 1

Maryland Bankers AssociationFWA 1

Maryland Office of Attorney General, Securities DivisionUNF 1

Office of Financial Regulation, Maryland Department of LaborINFO 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVJanuary, BriannaChamber of ProgressRegistered for: Chamber of Progress

FAVSearcy, Katy AnnCoinbaseRegistered for: Coinbase, Inc.

UNFWhite, MarcelineEconomic Action MarylandRegistered for: Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition DBA Economic Action Maryland; Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition

UNFBevan-Dangel, JenniferEconomic Action Maryland FundRegistered for: Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition DBA Economic Action Maryland; Humane Society of the United States; Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Humane World for Animals

FWARichards, EvanMaryland Bankers AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Bankers Association

FWAMurray, RoryRegistered for: Alliance to Prevent Legionnaire's Disease; American Council of Engineering Companies/MD; Association of Independent Maryland and D.C. Schools; Chesapeake Watershed Restoration Professionals; Kaiser Permanente; Lightstar Renewables…