France Eyes National Bitcoin Reserve to Boost Financial Sovereignty
The idea of France holding Bitcoin alongside gold and foreign reserves sounded unthinkable a few years ago. Now it’s being discussed at the heart of the French Parliament.
A proposal that could make France a European pioneer
A group of deputies has tabled a bill that would allow the Treasury to accumulate Bitcoin over the next eight years — up to 2 % of the total global supply, roughly 420 000 BTC. The digital asset would be managed like gold: held, audited, and used as a safeguard in times of economic stress.
Supporters call it a logical step in a world where digital currencies are no longer a curiosity but a financial reality. “If the euro is the present, Bitcoin could be part of the future,” one lawmaker said, addressing colleagues under the vaulted ceiling of the National Assembly.
How the reserve could be funded
The bill sketches three main channels to fill the vaults:
- Mining Bitcoin with surplus nuclear and hydroelectric energy — a nod to France’s powerful energy sector.
- Transferring seized BTC from criminal cases into national ownership.
- Allocating small, regular Bitcoin purchases through the public savings account Livret A.
The mix sounds ambitious, yet surprisingly pragmatic. By tying digital finance to domestic energy and household savings, the plan aims to blend innovation with a sense of stability.
Tax payments in BTC — a bold political signal
Another eyebrow-raising clause suggests that citizens could eventually pay certain taxes in Bitcoin. The idea is not to replace the euro but to offer an alternative path — a symbolic shift toward financial autonomy within the EU framework.
If accepted, France would become the first country in the European Union to treat Bitcoin as part of its sovereign reserves. For a nation that once prided itself on its fiscal independence, that symbolism is hard to ignore.
Between ambition and caution
Analysts say the measure is both visionary and risky. Bitcoin’s volatility remains a concern, but the notion of integrating it into a reserve strategy echoes a broader global movement: central banks quietly testing digital assets as hedges against inflation and dollar exposure.
For France, the bill could represent more than financial engineering — it’s a statement of intent, an attempt to anchor sovereignty in the digital era.
Whatever the final outcome, the discussion itself marks a turning point. France is no longer watching the crypto revolution from the sidelines — it’s stepping into the arena.
Editorial Team — CoinBotLab