Eirik

The Czech National Bank has purchased digital assets for the first time in its history. 🌐 Through this USD 1 million investment, the CNB has created a test portfolio of digital assets based on blockchain. 🔗 In addition to bitcoin, the portfolio will include a test investment in the form of a USD stablecoin and a tokenised deposit on the blockchain. 🖥️ 📌 The purchase was made outside the CNB’s existing international reserves. The total amount invested will not be actively increased. 💬 “I came up with the idea of creating a test portfolio in January 2025. The aim was to test decentralised bitcoin from the central bank’s perspective and to evaluate its potential role in diversifying our reserves. The Bank Board then decided to have an analysis prepared. Subsequent internal discussions broadened the scope to include the future of payments and the tokenisation of assets. As a result, stablecoins and tokenised deposits were included alongside bitcoin. We will inform the public about our experience on an ongoing basis and present an overall assessment of the project in approximately two to three years,” said CNB Governor Aleš Michl (@MICHLiq_). ➡️ The aim is to gain practical experience with blockchain-based technologies, which may fundamentally affect the operation of the financial and payment system in the future. In the test portfolio, the CNB will test the whole chain of processes associated with the purchase, holding and management of digital assets – from technical administration of keys and multi-level approval processes, through crisis scenarios and security mechanisms, to verifying AML compliance. 🔗 Details: cnb.cz/en/cnb-news/pr…