Philippines

A bold crypto initiative is stirring debate in the Philippines. Congressman Miguel Luis R. Villafuerte has introduced a bill that would establish a government-managed Bitcoin reserve, locked for 20 years, with its sole purpose being to repay the nation’s rising debt, which now exceeds $285 billion—around 60% of GDP.

Proposal: 10,000 BTC Over Five Years
Under the proposed Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, the country’s central bank, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), would purchase 2,000 BTC annually over a five-year period. This would build a total reserve of 10,000 BTC, which would remain untouchable for two decades.
These Bitcoin holdings could only be sold or exchanged to service national debt. After the 20-year lock-up, the central bank governor would be allowed to release up to 10% of the assets within two years.

Inspired by Oil and Maple Syrup Reserves
Villafuerte said his legislation draws inspiration from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve and Canada’s strategic maple syrup stockpile. He argued that with cryptocurrencies becoming a key part of the global financial system, the Philippines must diversify its assets and strengthen financial resilience.
“The state must support economic strength and monetary stability. Bitcoin is becoming part of the global financial landscape, and we must be prepared,” the congressman wrote in the bill.

Strict Safeguards and Audits
The Bitcoin reserve would be held in geographically distributed cold storage facilities across the country. It would undergo quarterly public cryptographic attestations, along with audits by independent third parties.
The bill also mandates that forks and airdropped assets must be held for at least five years. Crucially, it emphasizes that private Bitcoin ownership will not be affected, ensuring citizens’ holdings remain safe from confiscation.

Bitcoin as a National Strategy?
If passed, the Philippines would become one of the first nations to officially integrate Bitcoin into its strategic reserves. Such a move could strengthen the country’s ability to manage debt burdens while positioning it as a pioneer in sovereign-level crypto adoption.

#bitcoin , #crypto , #Philippines , #CryptoAdoption , #blockchain

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Forget El Salvador — Manila just sat down at the high-roller’s table.

🎯 The Play

Rep. Migz Villafuerte just dropped House Bill 421 — “The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act.”
If passed:
📈 BSP will buy 2,000 BTC per year (5 years straight).
💎 Hoard 10,000 BTC (~$1.1B).
🔒 Lock it for 20 YEARS.
❌ Touch it only for sovereign debt emergencies.
That’s not speculation. That’s a sovereign gamble.

🔑 The Rules of the Game
🧾 Quarterly Proof-of-Reserves — public & transparent.
🥶 Cold Storage across multiple vaults.

⏳ Exit? Max 10% sell-off allowed every 2 years post-2045.

This is Bitcoin as national treasure, not trading fodder.

🌍 Why It Matters

Global Context: Governments already hold 480,000+ BTC.

Leaderboard:
🇸🇻 El Salvador → 6,276 BTC
🇧🇹 Bhutan → 10,565 BTC
🇵🇭 Philippines → 10,000 BTC (if passed)
Manila jumps to the sovereign Bitcoin top 5.

⚡ The Implications

Peso Shield → Hedge against inflation & dollar shocks.
Debt Strategy → BTC as collateral for sovereign obligations.
Geopolitical Move → First Asian country with a Bitcoin Reserve law.
Market Signal → “Bitcoin is reserve-grade. Full stop.”

🐂 The Bottom Line

This isn’t El Salvador 2.0.

This is Asia’s first sovereign BTC play — and it could set off a regional arms race.

👉 Bitcoin just leveled up from digital asset → strategic weapon.

#Bitcoin #BTC #CryptoNews #Philippines #BTCReserve X: @MigzVillafuerte