Wisconsin’s digital future is being written now.
The next two years will decide whether Wisconsin leads the digital economy or watches other states set the rules. WDBC intends to be in the room for every one of those decisions — but being in the room takes resources.
Why it matters
Policy is won by whoever is in the building
Wisconsin’s digital economy will be governed by rules written in this building over the next two sessions. WDBC’s job is to make sure the people who actually build here are represented when that happens — consistently, credibly, and with better information than anyone else in the room.
Wisconsin State Capitol, Madison · Photo by Steve W on Pexels
The moment
Two forces are converging on Wisconsin’s statehouse at once. Federal law has finalized the rules for digital dollars under the GENIUS Act — and left the states a lane to build on. At the same time, artificial intelligence is moving faster than the guardrails around it. Both create a narrow window: the states that act deliberately now will shape the standards everyone else inherits. WDBC’s goal is to make sure Wisconsin is one of them.
Two fights, one bridge
Our 2026 agenda runs on the same two pillars that organize everything we do — grow the industry, and protect the people in it.
Innovation & Opportunity — a Wisconsin digital-dollar framework
With federal stablecoin law now settled, Wisconsin can build a state framework that keeps the opportunity here at home — reserve income directed to public priorities, and a clear path for digital-asset businesses to base and grow in the state. WDBC is advancing that case with lawmakers and the institutions that would steward it.
Consumer Protection & Trust — getting AI guardrails right
Wisconsin took up real AI consumer-protection bills this session — on companion chatbots and children, AI-driven insurance denials, and algorithmic rent-setting — and every one of them failed to pass. Each is ready for re-introduction. WDBC is working to see them move next session, with rules that protect people without freezing out responsible innovation.
Why it takes funding
Policy is won by showing up — consistently, credibly, and with better information than anyone else in the room. That is what your support pays for:
A paid research function
Legislators act on analysis. Member dues and sponsored research fund a dedicated Head of Research who tracks every relevant bill, scores it, and puts credible, nonpartisan briefings in front of the people who vote.
A permanent presence in Madison
Campaigns come and go; infrastructure endures. Sustained membership lets WDBC be the standing, nonpartisan convener that any administration — and every legislative session — can rely on.
The convening power to build coalitions
Events and forums bring industry, institutions, and lawmakers to the same table — where good policy actually gets built. Sponsorships make those rooms possible.