Czech National Bank Initiates $1M Digital Asset Test Portfolio Including Bitcoin
The Czech National Bank has launched a $1 million pilot portfolio including Bitcoin, a USD stablecoin, and tokenized deposits, aiming to gain operational experience with digital assets over a multi-year test period.
The Czech National Bank has initiated a $1 million pilot portfolio of digital assets, comprising Bitcoin, a USD stablecoin, and a tokenized deposit, confirming plans to hold these assets in its operational framework for two to three years. This marks the first recorded case of a central bank purchasing Bitcoin. The program, approved in October 2024, will operate outside the bank’s international reserves as classified under Article 32 of Czech law and is intended to test workflows, custody arrangements, and asset management protocols for blockchain-based holdings.
- USD stablecoin: A cryptocurrency pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar, designed to maintain a stable price.
- Tokenized deposit: A blockchain-based representation of a traditional bank deposit, enabling digital transfer and settlement.
- Central bank digital asset portfolio: A set of cryptocurrencies or tokenized instruments held by a central bank as part of experimental or investment strategies.