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`Augmented Intelligence`: Christie’s Reveals First Auction Dedicated to AI Art

The Christie`s auction kicks off on February 20 and features works from artists including Refik Anadol, Pinar Van Arman, and Claire Silver. CoinTurk News

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Florida Senator Proposes Bitcoin Investment to Hedge Against Inflation Amid BTC Race

Florida Republican Senator Joe Gruters has introduced a bill advocating for the state to invest a portion of its funds in Bitcoin and other digital assets as a hedge against inflation. The proposal aligns with a growing trend among U.S. states exploring cryptocurrency investments. “The state should have access to tools such as Bitcoin to protect against inflation,” Gruters stated in the bill introduced to the Florida Senate on Feb. 7. He emphasized that inflation has significantly weakened the purchasing power of state-managed funds, making alternative investments necessary. Institutional Bitcoin Adoption on the Rise Gruters pointed to the growing acceptance of Bitcoin among major financial institutions as a key reason Florida should consider adding the digital asset to its investment strategy. He cited firms such as BlackRock, Fidelity, and Franklin Templeton, which have embraced Bitcoin as a “hedge against inflation” and recognized its rising value and increasing global acceptance. To facilitate this, the bill proposes granting Florida’s chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, the authority to allocate Bitcoin investments across various state-managed funds, including the general reserve fund, the budget stabilization fund, and select agency trust funds. However, the bill includes a safeguard to limit Bitcoin holdings in any account to a maximum of 10%. This threshold is notably higher than Wyoming’s recent proposal, which caps Bitcoin allocations at 3%. The proposal follows a push from Patronis himself, who previously urged the Florida State Board of Administration to consider integrating Bitcoin into the state’s retirement fund investments. In an Oct. 29 letter, he highlighted Bitcoin’s potential to “diversify the state’s portfolio and provide a secure hedge against the volatility of other major asset classes.” A Growing Trend Among U.S. States Florida’s move comes amid a broader wave of state-level interest in Bitcoin reserves. Just one day before Gruters’ bill was introduced, Kentucky became the 16th U.S. state to propose legislation aimed at establishing a Bitcoin reserve. Kentucky State Representative Theodore Joseph Roberts introduced KY HB376 on Feb. 6, a bill that, if passed, would authorize the State Investment Commission to allocate up to 10% of excess state reserves into digital assets, including Bitcoin. With multiple states now considering Bitcoin as part of their investment portfolios, the push for cryptocurrency adoption at the government level continues to gain traction. Whether Florida’s bill moves forward remains to be seen, but the discussion around digital assets in state funds is unlikely to slow down anytime soon. CoinTurk News