Coverage line

An intricate mechanical lock holds a small cloud of blank digital tokens.

Digital-asset custody questions for Hawaii businesses

Hawaii’s Digital Currency Innovation Lab ended on June 30, 2024. The state DFI says digital-currency companies may continue without a Hawaii money-transmitter license under that program, leaving a buyer to verify the actual business entity, custodian and customer-asset contract rather than treating a state license as proof of protection.

What Is Digital Asset Insurance?

Digital-asset coverage may address custody, theft and business-liability risks, but a custodian’s policy may protect the custodian rather than you. If you hold or safeguard assets, verify the insured entity, wallets, key-loss protection and valuation. Read the national Digital assets guide.

What Should You Watch for With Digital Asset Insurance in Hawaii?

  • Do not use the old pilot as a current license signal

    The DCIL program ended June 30, 2024. DFI’s post-program statement is limited to state money-transmitter licensing under that program and does not resolve every other state or federal requirement. 1

  • A state program did not guarantee customer balances

    DFI warned that virtual-currency transactions were not government-guaranteed and that access or company failure could result in loss. That warning describes risk; it does not establish insurance availability. 2

  • A custodian’s policy may insure the custodian

    A provider’s insurance page may name the provider itself as insured and limit eligibility by entity or location. Ask how your customer claim would be treated rather than relying on a general statement that the custodian is insured. 3

Which Digital Asset Insurance Providers Have Hawaii License Records?

No provider in our research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Who Regulates Insurance in Hawaii?

Hawaiʻi Insurance Division

The Insurance Division oversees insurance companies and producers, examines Hawaiʻi-based insurers, reviews rate and policy filings, and investigates insurance complaints. It is part of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. 5,6,7

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Hawaii

Reported tax rate. 4.68% of premium when Hawaiʻi is the home state 8,9

Hawaiʻi applies a 4.68% tax when it is the insured’s home state. Surplus-lines coverage is placed with an unauthorized insurer, so do not assume the Hawaiʻi Insurance Guaranty Association protects the policy; confirm the insurer’s status and policy terms with your broker.

What Should You Ask Before Buying Digital Asset Insurance in Hawaii?

  1. Who holds the assets for your Hawaii customers today, and which legal entity is party to the custody agreement?
  2. Does your policy or the custodian’s policy identify the assets, wallets, key holders and customers whose loss may be addressed?
  3. For a loss of access, outside theft or employee misuse, which cause of loss is actually within the policy wording?
  4. How are customer claims handled if the custodian, platform or an affiliate fails or changes its service?

Digital Asset Insurance in Hawaii: Frequently Asked Questions

Does the ended Hawaii pilot prove that a digital-currency company is insured?

No. DFI says companies no longer need a state money-transmitter license under the former DCIL program. That is a licensing statement, not an insurance or customer-recovery guarantee. 1,2

Does Hawaii make digital-asset coverage unavailable?

The cited DFI materials do not establish that coverage is unavailable. Ask the broker and insurer to identify the insured entity, covered assets, key arrangement and applicable exclusions. 1,3,4

Digital Asset Insurance Guides for Other States

Other coverage in HawaiiEvery coverage guide for Hawaii, plus the regulator and surplus-lines details.

Sources

16 documents, numbered as cited.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, email The General Average with a supporting source.

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