- Luzius Meisser supports the initiative, arguing Bitcoin offers more stability than traditional Euro and Dollar investments.
- Experts suggest diversifying national reserves with Bitcoin could mitigate risks linked to government bonds prone to default.
Yves Bennaïm, a key figure in the Swiss cryptocurrency community, has launched a public initiative proposing that the Swiss National Bank (SNB) include Bitcoin in its currency reserves. This initiative seeks to amend the constitution to specify that the SNB’s reserves should be held in both “gold and Bitcoin.”
Initiative to Include Bitcoin in Swiss Reserves
Bennaïm’s proposal introduces a straightforward change to the wording of the constitution concerning the composition of the SNB’s reserves, which currently only mentions gold. His suggestion would allow the SNB the discretion to decide how much Bitcoin to hold, which could be minimal to address any concerns about the proposal.
The main goal of this initiative is to stimulate a national discussion about preserving Switzerland’s financial independence and neutrality amid global instability. Bennaïm views the adoption of Bitcoin as a strategic measure to protect the nation’s sovereignty.
Related: Wealth Management Firms Poised to Amplify Bitcoin ETF Holdings: Bitwise CEO
Support from Financial Experts and SNB’s Position
The proposal is supported by Luzius Meisser, chairman of Bitcoin Suisse, who advocates for Bitcoin as a reserve currency at the SNB’s general assembly.
“At the turn of the millennium, the SNB disposed of a large part of its gold reserves at the worst possible time, after a number of other central banks had already done so and the gold price had reached its lowest point for decades.”
Meisser contends that Bitcoin, being a digital asset, could offer greater long-term stability than traditional investments in Euros and Dollars, which are vulnerable to inflation that could diminish the value of the SNB’s reserves.
If it is too late to get to grips with Bitcoin and other central banks get ahead of it, it risks “having to get in at much higher prices than everyone else”, says Meisser.
Read more: Bitcoin Outlook: Coinbase Forecasts Macro Factors to Influence Crypto Markets After Halving
Financial and Academic Perspectives
Financially, supporters like Meisser argue that early investments in Bitcoin could have significantly increased Switzerland’s wealth, based on past performance projections. Academically, experts like Gunther Schnabl of the University of Leipzig see the value in diversifying national reserves with Bitcoin to mitigate risks associated with traditional assets like government bonds, which are increasingly subject to default risks.
The current price of Bitcoin (BTC-USD) is approximately $66,289.61. This value represents an increase of $1,288.25 or approximately 1.98% since the last measurement.
