In 2019, the Wyoming Legislature enacted HB 57, which created a financial technology sandbox for the testing of innovative financial products and services in Wyoming. An “innovative financial product or service” is defined as a product or service that uses:

“new or emerging technology, or new uses of existing technology, that provides a product, service, business model or delivery mechanism to the public and has no substantially comparable, widely available analogue in Wyoming, including blockchain technology.”

Wyoming's sandbox is tailored to allow individuals and companies with new ideas to bring their product or service to the Wyoming market in a supportive environment that facilitates collaboration, consumer protection and innovation.

An individual or business entity with an innovative financial product or service related to banking, trusts/trust companies, consumer credit/lending, money transmission, and mortgages may be eligible for participation in the Wyoming Division of Banking’s financial technology sandbox. Products or services involving securities and business entities/corporate law may be eligible for the  Wyoming Secretary of State's sandbox.

The financial technology sandbox has several conditions for eligibility. These include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) some part of the innovative financial product or service is not permitted under existing Wyoming statutes or rules; and (2) the business entity is a domestic corporation or other organized domestic entity with a physical presence, other than that of a registered office or agent, in Wyoming. These conditions potentially may not apply to an individual or business entity which already operates in a similar financial technology sandbox of another jurisdiction, but the individual or business entity must still file a sandbox application with the Division.

The initial sandbox period is no longer than twenty-four months, with the possibility of a 12-month extension. There is no initial limit on the number of customers that may be served, but the Banking Commissioner may consider whether a limit is appropriate.

The Division began accepting sandbox applications on January 1, 2020.

The sandbox application may be downloaded below. Among other requirements, the application requires a $500 application fee, a business plan, product/service details, a standard background check and a consumer protection bond.

The statutes and rules governing the sandbox may also be downloaded below.

The Division encourages potential applicants to contact the Division before filing an application at (307) 777-7797 or at wyomingbankingdivision@wyo.gov. After an application is filed, the Division will normally review the application and issue a decision within 90 days.

Sandbox Application PDF Fillable Version

Wyoming Financial Technology Sandbox Statute

Wyoming Division of Banking Financial Technology Sandbox Rules

Wyoming law allows for reciprocity between Wyoming and other state, federal and foreign jurisdictions to allow an innovative product or service to be made available simultaneously in each jurisdiction's financial technology sandbox. A number of other jurisdictions, including Arizona, Utah, the United Kingdom and Singapore, operate similar financial technology sandboxes. The Division will coordinate oversight with other jurisdictions to help ensure an efficient regulatory approach. 

The Division encourages sandbox participants in other jurisdictions to consider Wyoming.  Please contact the Division for more information.