Key Takeaways
- To move forward, the initiative requires the collection of 100,000 signatures by June 30, 2026
- If successful, Swiss citizens will have the opportunity to vote on whether Bitcoin should join gold as a reserve asset for the country.
Switzerland has taken a significant step toward considering Bitcoin as part of its national reserves. A new proposal, titled “For a Financially Strong, Sovereign, and Responsible Switzerland,” seeks to include the crypto alongside traditional reserve assets such as gold.
The proposal, headed by Yves Bennaïm of 2B4CH and Luzius Meisser of Bitcoin Suisse, aims to make Bitcoin a part of the Swiss National Bank’s (SNB) monetary reserves.
To move forward, the initiative requires the collection of 100,000 signatures by June 30, 2026, to trigger a national referendum. This threshold represents approximately 1.12% of Switzerland’s population of 8.92 million. If successful, Swiss citizens will have the opportunity to vote on whether Bitcoin should join gold as a reserve asset for the country.
The proposal has already gained official acknowledgement. On December 31, the Swiss Federal Chancellery confirmed the initiative after National Councillor Dr. Paolo Pamini submitted a formal inquiry earlier in the month.
Dr. Pamini sought clarification on the legal framework surrounding the inclusion of Bitcoin in the SNB’s reserves, asking whether current laws permit this and what changes would be required if they do not. “We seek clarity on whether the Swiss National Bank has the legal framework to include Bitcoin as an asset to back the money supply and what adjustments would be needed if it doesn’t,” he stated.
The proposed amendment, submitted on December 5, would require the SNB to hold a portion of its reserves in Bitcoin alongside gold. Advocates of the initiative argue that Bitcoin, like gold, could serve as a hedge against inflation and financial instability, aligning with Switzerland’s tradition of maintaining robust financial systems.
The journey to this proposal has been years in the making. 2B4CH, a Swiss think tank focusing on Bitcoin and blockchain tech, originally planned to file a similar initiative in 2021 but delayed it in anticipation of a more favourable environment.
The latest move comes amid several countries worldwide opening up to the idea of adding Bitcoin to their National Reserve. Recently, President-elect Donald Trump reiterated plans to create a U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve. El Salvador, Bhutan already have significant Bitcoin reserves.
