AB 2285: Digital Financial Asset Banking Act.
The Digital Financial Asset Banking Act regulates banks and credit unions providing digital asset custody services, staking services, and digital asset transaction services. It requires financial institutions to disclose certain information to customers and implement financial safety measures. Annual audits of custodial activities and holdings are required, which can be conducted independently or by the financial institution's board of directors. The state will enforce provisions with administrative and civil remedies. No reimbursement is required for certain costs.
| Jun. 29, 2026 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Jun. 24, 2026 | Referred to Coms. on JUD. and B. & F.I. |
| Jun. 18, 2026 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| Jun. 18, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 49. Noes 1. Page 5760.) |
| Jun. 11, 2026 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Amended IN Assembly June 10, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly June 03, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly May 22, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly March 16, 2026 |
| Introduced by Assembly Member Valencia |
February 19, 2026 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 25019 of the Corporations Code is amended to read:25019.
(a) “Security” means any note; stock; treasury stock; membership in an incorporated or unincorporated association; bond; debenture; evidence of indebtedness; certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement; collateral trust certificate; preorganization certificate or subscription; transferable share; investment contract; viatical settlement contract or a fractionalized or pooled interest therein; life settlement contract or a fractionalized or pooled interest therein; voting trust certificate; certificate of deposit for a security; interest in a limited liability company and any class or series of those interests (including any fractional or other interest in that interest), except a membership interest in a limited liability company in which the person claiming this exception can prove that all of the members are actively engaged in the management of the limited liability company; provided that evidence that members vote or have the right to vote, or the right to information concerning the business and affairs of the limited liability company, or the right to participate in management, shall not establish, without more, that all members are actively engaged in the management of the limited liability company; certificate of interest or participation in an oil, gas or mining title or lease or in payments out of production under that title or lease; put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security, certificate of deposit, or group or index of securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof); or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency; any beneficial interest or other security issued in connection with a funded employees’ pension, profit sharing, stock bonus, or similar benefit plan; or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a “security”; or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing. All of the foregoing are securities whether or not evidenced by a written document.SEC. 2.
Part 9 (commencing with Section 25710) is added to Division 1 of Title 4 of the Corporations Code, to read:PART 9. Digital Financial Assets
25710.
The distribution of staking rewards, as defined in Section 3910 of the Financial Code, is not subject to Sections 25110, 25120, and 25130.SEC. 3.
Division 1.26 (commencing with Section 3910) is added to the Financial Code, to read:DIVISION 1.26. Digital Financial Asset Banking Act
CHAPTER 1. General provisions Provisions
3910.
As used in this chapter:CHAPTER 2. Digital Asset Custody Services
3915.
(a) A financial institution that provides digital asset custody services in a nonfiduciary capacity shall act only upon the explicit instructions of the customer and shall not independently manage, transfer, or dispose of the digital financial assets.3916.
A financial institution shall not hold less than a one-to-one full reserve of each digital asset owed or attributable to its passive staking customers, and the financial institution’s aggregate holdings of each such digital asset shall, at all times, be greater than the total amount of deposited assets.3917.
(a) A financial institution shall not hold digital financial assets in a pooled custody arrangement or segregate digital financial assets by individual customer pursuant to a custodial agreement unless the financial institution maintains accurate records identifying each customer’s specific interest in the digital financial assets.3918.
(a) A financial institution engaged in digital financial asset custody services shall conduct an annual audit of its custodial activities and holdings that is either of the following:CHAPTER 3. Subcustody of Digital Assets
3920.
(a) A financial institution shall not utilize a subcustodian to assist in providing digital asset custody services to its customers unless the use of a subcustodian is prominently disclosed on the first page of the customer’s custodial agreement.3921.
(a) A record relating to digital financial assets held in subcustody shall be subject to examination by the department to the same extent as a record relating to digital financial assets held directly by the financial institution.CHAPTER 4. Staking Services
3925.
(a) A financial institution shall not use a third party for staking services unless all of the following criteria are met:3926.
(a) A financial institution that stakes a digital financial asset on behalf of a customer shall maintain a reserve of each digital financial asset in an amount sufficient to facilitate a timely customer withdrawal or transfer.3927.
(a) A staking reward shall accrue to the benefit of the customer to whom the relevant digital financial asset belongs.(1)For a staking reward that is less than one hundred dollars ($100), not more than five dollars ($5).
(2)For a staking reward that is greater than one hundred dollars ($100), not more than 5 percent of the total amount of the staking reward.
3928.
(a) A digital financial asset that a financial institution stakes on behalf of a customer shall remain the property of that customer, and a financial institution shall not record as an asset or liability of the financial institution a staked customer digital financial asset or any staking reward associated with that digital financial asset.3929.
(a) Before initiating staking services for a customer’s digital financial assets, a financial institution shall provide the customer with a clear and conspicuous written disclosure, in plain language and presented in a manner that is readily accessible and understandable to the customer, of the terms and conditions of the staking services that includes, at a minimum, information regarding all of the following:CHAPTER 5. Money Laundering and Cybersecurity
3935.
A financial institution shall establish and maintain an antimoney laundering compliance program that is risk based and commensurate with the nature and scope of the financial institution’s digital asset custody and staking services that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:3936.
(a) A financial institution and any of its subcustodians shall maintain a cybersecurity program designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the financial institution’s information systems, digital asset custody, and staking software and hardware that is based on the financial institution’s risk assessment and designed to perform all of the following functions:CHAPTER 6. Fiduciary Digital Asset Transaction Authority
3940.
(a) A financial institution shall not facilitate the purchase or sale of digital financial assets on behalf of a fiduciary account or customer unless the financial institution is acting in a fiduciary capacity pursuant to the express instruction of the customer.3941.
(a) Before a financial institution facilitates the purchase or sale of digital financial assets on behalf of a fiduciary account or customer, the financial institution shall disclose, in a clear and conspicuous written form, to the person on whose behalf it acts all of the following:3942.
A financial institution shall document its compliance with this chapter and shall be prepared to demonstrate that compliance to the department.CHAPTER 7. Enforcement
3945.
(a) The department may issue a written order directing a financial institution to take specific corrective action to remedy any violation of this division that states the grounds for issuance and the required remedial measures.3946.
If the department believes that a financial institution is engaged in an unfair or deceptive practice with respect to conduct subject to this division, the department may serve upon the financial institution a written notice describing the alleged violation or practice and specifying a time and place for a hearing to be held within 15 calendar days of the notice, at which the financial institution may present evidence or argument. If, after that notice and hearing, the department finds that the financial institution has engaged in the alleged conduct, the department may issue a cease and desist order ordering the financial institution to immediately discontinue the specified conduct and to take affirmative action, if necessary, to prevent its recurrence.3947.
(a) If the department finds that a financial institution’s conduct or condition is likely to cause immediate and irreparable harm to its customers or the public before a formal hearing can be concluded pursuant to Section 3946, the department shall issue a temporary emergency order that directs the financial institution to immediately cease or desist from a specified activity or to take any other action necessary to prevent or mitigate the harm.3948.
The department may impose a civil penalty for a violation of this division subject to all of the following:3949.
(a) If the department finds that a financial institution has committed a material or repeated violation of this division, has willfully defied any lawful order issued by the department under this division, or is conducting its digital financial asset business activity in a manner that poses a significant risk to the safety of customer assets or to the soundness of the financial institution, the department may suspend or revoke the financial institution’s authority to provide any digital asset service subject to this division.SEC. 4.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.