illinois

The Blockchain Association, the Crypto Innovation Committee, in conjunction with the Illinois state government, the Digital Chamber of Commerce, and the Illinois Blockchain Association, submitted a joint motion to the Sangamon County Circuit Court, requesting the court to expedite the hearing of two lawsuits against the state's Digital Asset Tax Act. The state government has agreed to issue an injunction to suspend the effectiveness and enforcement of the Digital Asset Tax Act until July 1, 2027.In order to make a ruling on the legality of the tax law as soon as possible, the parties have proposed a timeline for expedited summary judgment submissions: the first round of motions is scheduled to be submitted on November 4, 2026, and all relevant submissions will be completed by January 22, 2027. The parties request the court to hold a hearing between February 8 and February 19, 2027, and request the court to make a ruling by March 1, 2027, to which the state government has no objection. This timeline is subject to court approval.

According to CoinDesk, the government of Illinois has reached an agreement with the Digital Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Blockchain Association to postpone the 0.2% cryptocurrency tax, originally set to take effect on January 1, 2027, by 6 months to July 1, but still requires approval from a state circuit court judge.If the postponement is approved, both parties will temporarily suspend their request for an emergency injunction and continue litigation regarding the compliance, enforceability, and constitutionality of the tax law.

The Illinois Department of Revenue has released the legislative draft details of a 0.2% digital asset transaction tax, clarifying that stablecoins will be considered taxable digital assets, while non-fungible tokens are not subject to taxation. The draft stipulates that DeFi transactions are generally exempt; however, fees paid by users that are deemed "valuable consideration," such as protocol fees for operating or maintaining the platform, may trigger taxation.Only network fees and exchange fees paid to liquidity providers do not trigger this tax. Cross-chain bridging conducted through digital asset brokers and paid with consideration will be regarded as taxable exchange activities. If centralized exchanges charge fees when transferring to self-custody wallets, it may also be subject to taxation. This tax law was approved in June and is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. The Illinois Department of Revenue is seeking public comments on the draft, with a deadline of October 30.

According to The Block, the Blockchain Association and the Crypto Council for Innovation filed a preliminary injunction motion on September 9 in the Sangamon County Circuit Court in Illinois, requesting to halt the new cryptocurrency tax in the state before it takes effect. This summer, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Digital Asset Tax Act, which proposes a 0.2% tax on digital asset transactions, set to take effect in January 2027.Previously, the two associations, along with the Digital Chamber, filed a lawsuit against the state in August. In a 34-page motion, the organizations stated that the tax is unprecedented and has caused "irreparable harm" to industry members, and that if the bill takes effect, it will force businesses to comply hastily without clear guidance, facing the risk of criminal penalties. They also pointed out that the law violates the Illinois Constitution by implementing differential taxation on digital assets and contravenes the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, which prohibits discriminatory taxes on e-commerce. The Illinois Governor's office has not yet responded to requests for comment.

According to CoinDesk, the Crypto Innovation Committee (CCI) and the Blockchain Association filed a preliminary injunction motion on Wednesday in the Sangamon County Circuit Court of Illinois, requesting to suspend the enforcement of the state's digital asset transaction tax during the litigation. The tax rate is 0.2% and applies to entities headquartered in Illinois or providing services in the state with total revenue exceeding $100,000, which is set to take effect on January 1, 2027.The two lobbying organizations, along with the Digital Chamber, filed a lawsuit against Illinois last month, claiming that the tax violates the Internet Tax Freedom Act and the U.S. Constitution, and that Illinois's approach to taxing digital assets differs from other financial services.CCI CEO Ji Hun Kim stated that businesses are forced to spend millions of dollars to build compliance systems, yet basic issues such as the tax subjects and timing remain unclear. Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger warned that if the law is enacted, Illinois will not be the last state to attempt this.

The digital asset advocacy organizations Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) and Blockchain Association (BA) have filed a lawsuit against Illinois officials, opposing the state's 0.2% cryptocurrency tax. This tax is expected to take effect from January 2027, taxing based on transaction volume rather than income.The two organizations submitted the lawsuit in the Sangamon County Seventh Judicial Circuit Court, claiming that the tax violates the U.S. Constitution, the Illinois Constitution, federal and state due process laws, and the Internet Tax Freedom Act, and may result in double taxation. The lawsuit also states that the tax regulations are overly vague, placing compliance responsibilities on residents and brokers, and exposing them to civil and criminal penalties.Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger stated that Illinois cannot implement a tax system that discriminates against digital businesses and increases uncertainty for consumers and enterprises. The Digital Chamber filed a similar lawsuit in July regarding the same tax, claiming it discriminates against digital asset traders.

According to CoinDesk, the Crypto Innovation Council (CCI) and the Blockchain Association recently filed a civil lawsuit in Sangamon County, Illinois, officially joining the legal challenge against the state's digital asset tax policy. This move follows a lawsuit initiated by the Digital Chamber last month, marking a further escalation of the industry's coalition against the measures.The plaintiffs accuse the state’s new tax law of violating the U.S. Constitution, the Illinois Constitution, and the Internet Tax Freedom Act. The controversy stems from the tax law's stipulation that any entity conducting business or providing services to residents in the state with an annual income exceeding $100,000 must pay a 0.2% tax on digital asset transactions or storage. Although lawmakers expect this measure to raise $6 million annually for the state budget, the plaintiffs argue that the lack of corresponding taxes on traditional assets constitutes a 'unique punitive treatment' of digital assets, allegedly resulting in unfair resource allocation through the tax code.

The cryptocurrency lobbying organization TDC has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the enforcement of the Illinois Digital Asset Tax Act.This tax applies to any company headquartered in Illinois or operating in the state that provides digital asset services in the state.

According to PYMNTS, the new cryptocurrency tax in Illinois, USA, will take effect on January 1, 2027. The law firm Jones Day stated that any brokers with business exposure in Illinois should begin registration preparations as soon as possible and review existing record-keeping processes to meet the upcoming compliance requirements.

Mike Selig, Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), stated on the X platform that Illinois' legislation implementing a so-called "sin tax" on blockchain technology could jeopardize Chicago's future status as a financial market center.The bill even imposes taxes on the transfer of cryptocurrency assets that have not generated any economic benefits. Mike Selig referred to it as "slowdown legislation" and stated that the bill transforms residents' property rights from "inherent rights" to "privileged rights that require permission."Mike Selig further added that, against the backdrop of blockchain technology continuously reshaping financial markets, replacing policies that promote economic growth with taxes on cryptocurrency wallets may be viewed by history as a turning point or even a signal of decline for Chicago's financial development.

According to Cryptopolitan, the prediction market platform Kalshi has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, challenging the newly signed SB3019 bill in the state. The bill requires prediction market platforms to obtain state-level licenses and imposes a 0.2% tax on digital asset transactions involving Illinois customers, set to take effect on July 1. Kalshi argues that federal law grants the CFTC exclusive jurisdiction over exchange-traded derivatives, and that additional state regulatory requirements conflict with the Commodity Exchange Act.If Kalshi withdraws sports event contracts from Illinois to comply with state law, it would directly violate the CFTC's uniformity requirement; if it continues to operate without a license, it would violate state law, and implementing geographic blocking technology would be costly. This lawsuit is the latest case in the dispute over prediction market jurisdiction between the CFTC and various states, with the CFTC having sued nine states to assert federal authority.

Cryptocurrency payment company Alchemy Pay announced that it has obtained a Money Transmitter License in the state of Illinois, USA. As a key state with Chicago, a global financial center, Illinois is regarded as an important market for the development of fintech and digital assets in the United States. With this approval, the number of state-level remittance licenses held by Alchemy Pay in the U.S. has increased to 18, further strengthening its compliance operational capabilities in the core U.S. market and supporting the development of its stablecoin payment public chain, Alchemy Chain.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed the Digital Asset Tax Act on Tuesday, which will impose a 0.2% tax on the transaction value of digital asset transactions or services provided to customers in Illinois. The law will take effect on January 1, 2027.The tax primarily targets crypto service providers, including exchanges, custodians, and brokers, requiring them to collect and remit the tax on behalf of their clients, similar to a sales tax. Industry organizations such as the Crypto Council for Innovation, Digital Chamber, and Illinois Blockchain Association strongly oppose the bill, stating it could become one of the most stringent digital asset tax regimes in the nation. Critics argue that the tax will impose additional costs on Illinois residents simply for using digital assets and may drive crypto businesses, developers, and innovation out of the state.

According to a statement from the Crypto Council for Innovation, Illinois Governor Pritzker has signed a digital asset tax bill, which is considered to be the most punitive digital asset tax regime in the country, imposing a disproportionate tax burden on Illinois residents using digital assets.The council strongly opposes this, warning that this move will drive innovators and developers out of the state, and has issued a formal letter of opposition.

According to Cointelegraph, the Illinois State Legislature has passed the budget for the fiscal year 2027, which includes a provision to impose a 0.2% tax on cryptocurrency transactions, to be collected by digital asset brokers. This measure, referred to as the "privilege tax," is part of the amendment to the "Digital Asset Privilege Tax Act," which includes registration requirements for any digital asset broker operating in Illinois.Starting from January 1, brokers who fail to comply with the relevant regulations may be classified as a Class 3 felony in the state, facing two to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $25,000. The budget has been approved by the state legislature on Monday but still requires the signature of Governor JB Pritzker to take effect. JB Pritzker has publicly stated multiple times that he plans to sign the bill as soon as possible, but as of Friday morning, he has not yet signed it. Legislators expect that the cryptocurrency tax will generate $60 million in revenue for the state.

According to a report by Reuters, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have filed a lawsuit against the Governor of Illinois and the Attorney General, accusing them of attempting to regulate prediction markets beyond their legal authority.The two agencies stated that the relevant regulatory measures in Illinois are invalid because the state government does not have the authority to govern federally regulated prediction markets. The lawsuit emphasizes the protection of innovative financial instruments from overreach by local governments.

According to Bitcoin Treasuries, Illinois State Senator Steve McClure has proposed Bill SB3672 - the "Local Government Digital Asset Investment Act," which aims to amend the state's Public Funds Investment Act to allow public institutions to allocate up to 5% of public funds to Bitcoin-related financial products.According to the bill's definition, eligible "digital asset stocks" must be equity in publicly listed companies, and the company must be verified by the latest audited financial statements to hold at least 25% of its total assets in Bitcoin or other digital currencies.This threshold will include companies such as Strategy, Twenty One Capital, Metaplanet, and Semler Scientific, which have a core strategy of accumulating Bitcoin. The bill also allows public funds to invest in Bitcoin ETFs and Bitcoin bonds, with additional transparency requirements.

According to market news, Illinois in the United States has proposed the "Community Bitcoin Reserve Act," which aims to establish a state-level program to store Bitcoin in multi-signature cold wallets, starting with the Altgeld Bitcoin Reserve. Bitcoin cannot be traded or sold without new legislative approval.

According to Bloomberg, LevelField Financial Inc. has announced that it has received approval from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to acquire Burling Bank, headquartered in Chicago, and transform it into a full-service bank offering cryptocurrency services. This transaction is still subject to approval by the Federal Reserve Board.According to CEO Gene Grant II, LevelField aims to complete the transaction by the end of the year after obtaining regulatory approval and meeting other closing conditions. According to the application documents submitted to the Federal Reserve, LevelField has agreed to spend up to $70 million to acquire the bank. This marks the second attempt by both parties to merge.As early as the beginning of 2023, just before the collapse of Silvergate and Signature Bank, LevelField attempted to acquire Burling Bank. A year later, they withdrew their acquisition proposal, but after Donald Trump's election as President of the United States in December 2024, they made another attempt to acquire it.The merged entity will retain Burling Bank's primary community banking operations, with a new focus on providing deposit accounts, loans, and custody services tailored for digital assets, such as secured term loans and credit cards backed by Bitcoin or Ethereum.