Though European legislators stay conspicuously quiet on the topic, the United States has taken a major step by including Bitcoin in its financial plan. Published on March 7, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order established the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve using seized bitcoin from criminal cases instead of buying bitcoin from the open market. Although the European Union has not made any notable public comments on this choice, it could have big effects on world banking.
Industry professionals believe that the complicated procedure of including new assets in national treasuries could be the reason behind Europe’s silence. Anastasija Plotnikova, co-founder and CEO of blockchain regulation company Fideum, claims that these improvements need unambiguous legislative and executive permission, which is sometimes challenging to advance without central bank or voter backing. Historically dismissive of Bitcoin as a reserve asset, the European Central Bank (ECB) makes it doubtful that EU members will follow the U.S. model.
While the U.S. positions itself aggressively on Bitcoin, European officials are giving the introduction of the digital euro, a central bank digital currency (CBDC), top priority. We project the release of this digital euro in October 2025. In response to worries about government control, ECB President Christine Lagarde has underlined that the digital euro will coexist with cash and have privacy protections.
Though the EU stresses digital money, the payment system of the region presents difficulties. A recent failure in the ECB’s Target 2 (T2) payment system has caused significant transaction delays, raising questions about whether the central bank can properly handle digital currency under the present financial system.
T The clearly different U.S. and EU policies draw attention to the continuous discussion of the role digital assets play in national economies. While supporters of Bitcoin see its presence in reserves as a step toward financial decentralization, CBDC detractors fear possible government control and surveillance.
The way Europe strikes a balance between innovation and control will define its financial destiny as the digital euro approaches its introduction. Though their silence speaks loudly for now, it remains unknown whether European legislators will finally accept the U.S. Bitcoin Reserve.
