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AB-236 • 2026

Digital financial asset businesses: regulatory fees.

Digital financial asset businesses: regulatory fees.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Chen
Last action
Official status
Assembly - Died - Appropriations
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is unknown because the official metadata lists an empty field and only shows a filing date in February 2026.

Fee Cap for Digital Financial Asset Business Licenses

This law sets a maximum limit of $5,000 on the nonrefundable application fee that businesses must pay to get licensed for digital financial asset activities.

What This Bill Does

  • Sets a cap so the license application fee cannot be more than $5,000.
  • Keeps existing rules requiring people to have a license or an active application by July 1, 2026.
  • Requires applicants to pay a nonrefundable fee when they submit their license request.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Businesses that want to work with digital financial assets in California.
  • The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which reviews applications.

Terms To Know

Digital financial asset
A digital representation of value used as a medium of exchange, unit of account, or store of value that is not legal tender.
Nonrefundable fee
Money paid with an application to cover review costs; the source does not specify if it can be returned if denied.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The text does not state when this specific $5,000 limit will officially start.
  • It does not explain how much lower fees might be set by the department below the cap.
  • The source material does not list penalties for charging more than the allowed fee.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Assembly - Died - Appropriations

Official Summary Text

Digital financial asset businesses: regulatory fees.