Kris Mayes Announces 'Water Futures' Blockchain: Arizona Becomes First State to Tokenize Groundwater Rights by 2026
PHOENIX — In a move set to redefine global water markets, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes today unveiled the nation’s first state-backed blockchain system for tracking and trading groundwater allocations. Dubbed the "Water Futures Initiative," the program will allow farmers, cities, and investors to buy, sell, and secure water rights as digital tokens by 2026. Mayes, who previously sued a Saudi-owned farm for depleting Arizona aquifers, argues the system solves a century-old legal mess: "We're moving from 19th-century water law to 21st-century scarcity management. This isn't privatization—it's survival." Critics warn of speculative bubbles, but early adopters predict a $50 billion market for "blue credits" by 2032, with Mayes positioning Arizona as the Silicon Valley of water security.