Taiwan Lawmaker Proposes Adding Bitcoin to National Reserves

Legislator Ko Ju-Chun from Taiwan has called on the government to include Bitcoin in its national reserves, alongside gold and foreign currencies.

At a national finance conference on May 9, Ko suggested that a small portion of the country’s reserve assets be allocated to Bitcoin (BTC) as a measure against rising global economic uncertainty and regional geopolitical risks.

He highlighted Bitcoin’s decentralized framework, finite supply, and its emerging function as a hedge in multiple countries as compelling reasons for its inclusion in Taiwan’s sovereign asset approach.

Ko emphasized the nation’s reliance on exports and the resulting volatility of the New Taiwan dollar, advocating for a diversified reserve portfolio.

Bitcoin as a crisis reserve

The legislator pointed out the country’s vulnerability in potential crisis scenarios, proposing that Bitcoin could serve as an uncorrelated asset that provides liquidity and mitigates the risk of seizure amid geopolitical tensions.

Previously, he suggested on X that Taiwan might allocate as much as 5% of its reserves—roughly $50 billion—to Bitcoin, framing this as part of a diversified strategy rather than a total overhaul.

While Ko acknowledged that Bitcoin is not a cure-all for Taiwan’s financial challenges, he underscored the importance of expanding the nation’s economic resilience toolkit.

This proposal emerges as Taiwan moves towards more crypto-friendly regulations. The Financial Supervisory Commission is anticipated to kick off institutional crypto custody trials later this year, in stark contrast to mainland China, which maintains a strict ban on most crypto-related activities.

The Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan unveiled a draft of the “Virtual Asset Service Act” on March 25, aimed at regulating crypto businesses and protecting investors. This draft outlined licensing requirements for VASPs, standards for stablecoin issuance by banks, and enforcement mechanisms.

A 60-day public consultation period was launched, with the law expected to be submitted to the Executive Yuan by June 30.

Ko’s initiative positions Taiwan among an emerging group of jurisdictions contemplating Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. Although no formal policy has been established yet, his advocacy mirrors the increasing interest in digital assets within Taiwan’s financial planning discourse.