France’s $48B Bitcoin Reserve Plan Shakes EU Crypto Landscape

France is on the verge of becoming Europe’s first major economy to hold Bitcoin in its national reserves, with a bold proposal to allocate $48 billion—roughly 2% of total reserves—to BTC over the next seven to eight years.

A Direct Challenge to the ECB’s Digital Euro

The motion, spearheaded by Éric Ciotti and the Union of the Right and Center (UDR), explicitly opposes the European Central Bank’s centralized digital euro. Instead, it promotes:

• Decentralized euro stablecoins for daily payments
• Lower electricity taxes for Bitcoin miners
• Using surplus nuclear and green energy for public BTC mining
• Retaining judicially seized BTC as state assets
• Redirecting Livret A savings toward Bitcoin purchases
• Allowing tax payments in BTC (pending constitutional review)

If passed, France would acquire up to 420,000 BTC, positioning itself as a sovereign digital asset leader and directly challenging Brussels’ vision of a programmable, government-controlled digital currency. This isn’t just about Bitcoin — it’s about financial sovereignty in the digital age.

Global Precedents and Market Impact

France follows in the footsteps of:

• United States: Strategic Bitcoin Reserve bills gaining bipartisan support
• Bhutan: Already mining and holding BTC with hydropower

Bitcoin reacted positively, briefly surpassing $115,500 as traders priced in growing nation-state adoption. The proposal has also sparked debate across Europe, with Germany, Italy, and Poland reportedly monitoring developments.

Broader Implications for Europe

• Undermines ECB control over monetary policy
• Legitimizes Bitcoin as collateral for institutional finance
• Sets precedent for other EU nations to follow
• Boosts Bitcoin’s narrative as “digital gold 2.0”

With France leading the charge, the EU may soon face a fragmented digital asset landscape — one where decentralized innovation competes head-on with centralized control.