Taiwan’s central bank to explore Bitcoin reserves, test BTC holdings

Taiwan’s Premier and Central Bank are reportedly preparing to study whether Bitcoin could serve as a strategic reserve asset. They also plan to draft supportive regulations and begin testing the idea by holding Bitcoin that has been seized and is currently awaiting auction.

This initiative is being championed by legislator Dr. Ju-chun Ko and supported by Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3, a Bitcoin-focused technology company. The news was shared by JAN3 following increasing discussions among Taiwanese lawmakers about the risks of relying too heavily on traditional reserve assets.

Back in May, Dr. Ko urged Taiwan’s Central Bank to examine the possibility of adding Bitcoin to the nation’s strategic reserves. He pointed to the New Taiwan Dollar’s volatility, rising global inflation, and regional geopolitical tensions as key reasons to consider alternative reserve strategies.

The New Taiwan Dollar has been especially unstable this year, with swings of up to 5% in a single day. Ko criticized Taiwan’s heavy dependence on the U.S. dollar and argued that the country needs greater financial resilience. Bitcoin, he said, should be part of that conversation.

Taiwan currently holds roughly 423 metric tonnes of gold and around $577 billion in foreign currency reserves, about 92% of which is invested in U.S. Treasury bonds. Ko stressed that Bitcoin wouldn’t replace these assets but could complement them by adding diversification and strengthening the nation’s economic defenses.

Growing global momentum for Bitcoin reserves

International developments appear to support this direction. In March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which absorbed over $17 billion worth of forfeited Bitcoin.

Countries like Argentina and El Salvador have also explored using Bitcoin in their national reserves. Argentina’s President Javier Milei has advocated for Bitcoin as a tool to combat inflation and reduce dependence on central banks.

During his May speech in the Legislative Yuan, Dr. Ko referenced these global examples, emphasizing Bitcoin’s fixed supply and decentralized design as key advantages over traditional assets. He argued that even a modest allocation could help Taiwan better withstand global financial shocks.

While no official policy has been adopted yet, JAN3 reports that the Central Bank plans to begin with detailed research and a pilot program using seized Bitcoin before considering broader adoption.

If Taiwan moves forward, it would become one of the first countries in Asia to hold—or even trial—Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset.