The chairman of the House Committee on ICT, Migz Villafuerte, presented a bill urging the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
According to the proposed Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act (House Bill 421), the BSP would acquire 2000 BTC annually for five years. Additionally, it would hold the assets in trust for two decades. Villafuerte argued that this measure would diversify the financial assets of the Philippines. He also emphasized that it would strengthen economic security and allow the country to benefit from the cryptocurrency economy.
"It is vital for the Philippines to accumulate strategic assets like BTC to serve important national interests such as financial stability," Villafuerte stated.
Villafuerte cited Bitcoin's performance as justification for the proposal. Since its creation in 2009, the currency has recorded a compound annual growth rate of around 40% over the last five years.
The legislator also highlighted the growing international momentum. In addition to gold, Switzerland is considering including Bitcoin in its national reserves. Hong Kong legislator Wu Jiezhuang has openly advocated for the inclusion of Bitcoin in financial reserves, and Poland is considering a similar plan.
Meanwhile, reports say that China has confiscated a large amount of Bitcoin, while Malaysia is working on rules to strengthen its financial system.
The proposed law in the Philippines reflects the debates in the United States and other countries. After a 180-day review under the presidency of Donald Trump, the White House published its first report on cryptocurrency policy on July 30, 2025.
The debate revolves around whether Washington should create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve using the nearly 200,000 Bitcoins seized by federal agencies. Analysts believe this measure could turn Bitcoin into an important national asset and lead to improved market conditions.
Meanwhile, China has not followed the trend, and speculation about a possible Bitcoin reserve continues to grow. In April, Chinese municipal authorities reportedly sold around 15,000 BTC, valued at $1.2 billion, to address the funding shortfall.
It is worth noting that the Japanese company Metaplanet has adopted a strategy more similar to the proposal from the Philippines. The company now holds a total of 18,888 BTC, having recently added 775 BTC. This keeps it as one of the largest institutional holders of BTC in the world.
This bill shows how digital assets are transforming economic policies worldwide. If approved, the Philippines could be one of the first countries in Asia to include BTC in its national reserves.
