The Czech National Bank has created a $1 million experimental crypto portfolio.
Date: 2025-11-14 Author: Gabriel Deangelo Categories: IN WORLD
The Czech National Bank (CNB) has taken its first step toward cryptocurrency by creating a $1 million test portfolio. All purchases were made separately from international reserves to test the technological capabilities of blockchain assets and assess the risks of working with them.
The portfolio includes three asset classes: Bitcoin, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, and a tokenized deposit. The experiment is designed to study the full cycle of working with digital assets: from storing and administering keys to conducting audits and meeting compliance requirements. According to bank representatives, this approach will allow the CNB to gain practical experience without affecting its official reserves.
The initiative to create the portfolio was approved by the bank's Council on October 30, 2025, following an analysis of the report on new asset classes. CNB Governor Aleš Michl noted that the idea arose back in January 2025, when the regulator wanted to explore Bitcoin's potential from a central bank perspective and understand how digital assets could contribute to reserve diversification.
Michl emphasized that Bitcoin's price is subject to high volatility, and investors should be aware of all the risks associated with investing in crypto assets. He also noted that the CNB does not currently plan to include cryptocurrencies in its official reserves or increase investments in the future. The test portfolio was created solely as part of the bank's standard financial activities.
CBN representatives explained that the acquired assets are completely separate from international reserves and do not affect the bank's ability to conduct foreign exchange interventions or implement monetary policy. Transactions with digital assets were carried out as part of a market transaction, allowing the bank to safely test new asset management technologies and processes.
Earlier, in February 2025, Aleš Michl called for Bitcoin not to be mixed with traditional currency instruments and other types of crypto assets, emphasizing the distinction between digital investments and official reserves.
The creation of a test crypto portfolio demonstrates the central bank's gradual approach to innovation and demonstrates that the CNB views digital assets more as a learning and analytical tool than as a fully-fledged part of its financial reserves. This experience will allow the regulator to develop internal management methods and assess the potential of blockchain technologies without threatening the stability of the national economy.
