According to Cointelegraph, Samson Mow, founder of Jan3, is focusing on increasing Bitcoin adoption among European nation-states following a promising meeting with French lawmaker Sarah Knafo. Mow expressed his enthusiasm for initiating a Bitcoin adoption wave in France and potentially across Europe after meeting with Knafo, a member of the European Parliament, at BTC Prague. Their discussions centered around developing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for France and advocating for favorable regulations for the cryptocurrency.
Mow revealed that Knafo has invited his team to France to further explore Bitcoin adoption strategies. Knafo also shared her thoughts on the meeting via her X account, emphasizing the importance of France addressing these issues. She described her discussions with Mow as excellent, noting his expertise in advising nation-states on Bitcoin adoption, including his work with the President of El Salvador. Mow, who resigned from Blockstream in March 2022 to focus on nation-state Bitcoin adoption through JAN3, also met with Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor, whom Knafo described as visionary and ambitious.
The momentum for Bitcoin in France is building, with Knafo indicating that numerous projects for France and Europe are on the horizon. This invitation comes as France continues to deepen its engagement with Bitcoin in both public and private sectors. On June 3, Blockchain Group, a Paris-based cryptocurrency firm, acquired 624 Bitcoin for 60.2 million euros, bringing its total holdings to 1,471 Bitcoin. Additionally, France's state-owned bank Bpifrance announced on March 27 that it would invest 25 million euros in cryptocurrencies to support local crypto and blockchain initiatives.
Despite these advancements, concerns persist regarding the pace of crypto adoption in Europe. Some executives have voiced worries that Europe's adoption rate is lagging behind other regions. Elisenda Fabrega, general counsel at Brickken, a European real-world asset tokenization platform, remarked that European corporate adoption remains limited. She attributed this hesitation to structural divides rooted in regulation, institutional signaling, and market maturity. Fabrega noted that Europe has yet to establish a definitive stance on Bitcoin as a reserve asset. The European Union's regulatory framework for crypto-assets, known as MiCA, was proposed in September 2020, adopted in May 2023, and fully enforced in December 2024.
