Countries Advance Their Pieces: Bitcoin as a National Reserve?

The interest of governments in bitcoin now goes beyond political debates and is rooted in strategic considerations.

In the face of evolving financial markets and geopolitical tensions, several governments and central banks are considering integrating bitcoin into their currency reserves. In the United States, a bill proposes the gradual acquisition of 1 million BTC over five years. In the Czech Republic, the governor of the central bank is examining the possibility of diversifying into crypto. Similarly, in Russia, political officials are pushing for a strategic reserve in bitcoin, while in Brazil, a project aims for an allocation of 5 % of sovereign reserves to this asset. This movement represents a notable shift in the institutional perception of bitcoin, which now transcends private diversification to become an economic and geopolitical issue. While El Salvador has already taken the plunge, other countries are moving cautiously, hindered by the volatility of cryptos and regulatory uncertainties. Between experimentation and resistance, a new financial dynamic is emerging, hinting at a possible shift in the equilibrium of the global monetary system.

Countries advance their pieces : bitcoin as a national reserve ?

The interest of governments in bitcoin now goes beyond political debates and is rooted in strategic considerations. In the United States, a bill proposes to gradually integrate 1 million BTC into national reserves over a five-year period. Led by Senator Cynthia Lummis, this text aims to strengthen the financial sovereignty of the country in the face of global economic uncertainties. “Such a reserve would be a protection against inflationary risks and a response to the decline in trust towards the dollar,” affirmed Lummis. However, despite marked support within the Republican Party, its adoption remains uncertain. The scale of the investment, estimated at 18 billion dollars at current prices, raises hesitations, as some consider bitcoin too volatile to serve as a national guarantee.

Other nations are also exploring this path. Each is moving at its own pace. In the Czech Republic, the governor of the National Bank, Aleš Michl, has mentioned the possibility of diversifying reserves to include bitcoin. “We are analyzing several options, including cryptos, but nothing is finalized yet,” he specified. In Russia, where crypto regulation remains strict, political officials are beginning to view this asset as a strategic tool. Deputy Anton Tkachev has asked the government to consider creating a bitcoin reserve, citing the instability of traditional currencies such as the Chinese yuan and the American dollar. This positioning fits into a context where Moscow seeks to reduce its dependence on Western currencies and circumvent certain economic sanctions through the use of cryptos for international trade.

A still fragmented, but progressing global adoption

While some global powers are still pondering the integration of bitcoin into their national reserves, other countries are taking action. Indeed, in Brazil, a bill currently under discussion proposes allocating up to 5% of sovereign reserves to crypto. Brazilian lawmakers advocate this initiative as a way to protect the local economy from fluctuations in foreign currencies and geopolitical uncertainties. According to them, such a reserve would help stabilize the real, preparing the country for the transformations in the international monetary system. However, if this project succeeds, Brazil would become one of the first G20 countries to institutionalize bitcoin as a strategic asset.

Other states approach the issue from a more institutional and democratic angle. In Switzerland, a group of crypto experts has launched a petition aiming to obtain 100,000 signatures to submit the creation of a bitcoin reserve to a national referendum. “The Swiss legal framework allows us to explore this option with a transparent and thoughtful approach,” explains Yves Bennaïm, founder of the think tank 2B4CH. If the petition succeeds, bitcoin could be debated at the highest political level, in a country where financial innovation plays a key role.

In South Africa, interest in bitcoin is taking on a political and economic dimension. The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) advocates for the adoption of a strategic reserve to reduce the country’s dependence on financing from institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank. This proposal is based on the idea that bitcoin could offer a sovereign monetary alternative, through protecting the South African economy from external pressures and fluctuations in the rand. The MKP also mentions the possibility of using bitcoin mining to leverage renewable energy surpluses, thus enhancing the energy independence of the country.

Despite the rise of bitcoin reserves, several challenges hinder its large-scale adoption. The extreme volatility remains a major obstacle, discouraging central banks from integrating such an unpredictable asset into their strategic reserves. Moreover, its acceptance as an official reserve would require profound regulatory reforms to align with international financial market standards. However, the evolution of monetary policies indicates a paradigm shift. Central banks and governments are increasingly considering cryptos in their macroeconomic decisions. Thus, the idea of bitcoin as a reserve asset is no longer a matter of speculation, but fits into a strategic debate on the future of global monetary reserves. If this trend continues, it could reshape international financial equilibria and provide states with an alternative to traditional reserves dominated by the dollar and gold.

After graduating from Sciences Po Toulouse and obtaining a blockchain consultant certification from Alyra, I joined the Cointribune adventure in 2019.

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