Чехия тестирует возможность криптовалют как государственного резерва с миллионным портфелем Translation: Czech Republic tests the potential of cryptocurrencies as a state reserve with a million-dollar portfolio.

The Czech National Bank (CNB) has made an investment in digital currencies, allocating $1 million to a «test» portfolio that includes Bitcoin, stablecoins, and tokenized deposits. The assets acquired do not form part of the nation’s international reserves.

The primary aim of this initiative is to gain hands-on experience with blockchain technologies and the related processes. The bank’s council approved the decision to purchase the cryptocurrencies on October 30.

According to CNB Governor Aleš Michl, the idea emerged in January 2025 as a way to assess the potential of the first cryptocurrency for diversifying reserves. The project was later expanded to explore the «future of payments» and asset tokenization.

«We want to adopt a more forward-thinking approach. It’s realistic to expect that in the future, it will become easier to use the koruna to purchase tokenized Czech bonds and much more,» Michl explained.

As part of the initiative, the CNB will test key management, multi-tier approval processes, security mechanisms, and compliance with AML procedures. The bank will also examine how to account for and audit such assets.

The portfolio’s size is not expected to change frequently, with the CNB indicating that potential fluctuations in the price of digital gold will not affect the bank’s financial performance.

Simultaneously, the regulator has launched the innovative hub CNB Lab, which will focus on testing technologies that may impact the financial market, including artificial intelligence and new payment solutions.

The bank plans to present an evaluation of the entire project and the experiences gained within the next two to three years.

Meanwhile, a legislator from the Taiwan People’s Party, Ko Chih-Chun, criticized the government for its delay in regulating cryptocurrencies, as reported by local media. He demanded consideration of including Bitcoin in the country’s strategic reserves and urged for the swift passage of a law for virtual asset service providers (VASP).

The legislator argued that the central bank’s March report on digital gold as a reserve asset has become outdated. He pointed to the United States, where several states have included the first cryptocurrency in their strategic reserves. Ko also referred to a Deutsche Bank forecast predicting that by 2030, central banks will begin to store Bitcoin en masse as a «new foundation for financial security.»

In response, Central Bank Governor Yang Jinlong stated that “2030 is still a long way off.” The legislator countered that Taiwan cannot afford to wait so long amid global changes and highlighted the excessive share of U.S. national debt in the country’s foreign reserves.

Jinlong promised to provide a new report assessing Bitcoin as a reserve asset by the end of the year.

Ko also suggested conducting an inventory of Bitcoin confiscated from criminals, arguing that these assets could be directed into state reserves rather than sold immediately. Prime Minister Chen Chien-jen supported this idea.

Another topic of discussion was the VASP bill. Ko noted that the document was submitted to the government in June, but there has been no progress in the five months since then. The legislator described the authorities’ stance as «excessive caution, equivalent to inaction.»

The head of the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), Peng Jinlong, responded that consultations on the bill were ongoing at the level of relevant departments, but he did not specify any timelines. The Prime Minister endorsed a cautious approach, emphasizing that stablecoins affect monetary sovereignty.

In conclusion, Ko highlighted that virtual assets are not merely speculative instruments. He termed them a “new battleground for national security” and urged the government not to miss opportunities in this new era.

It is noteworthy that in September 2025, it became known that the German government would consider recognizing Bitcoin as a strategic asset.