The Czech National Bank stated that it acquired Bitcoin and other blockchain related asset totaling $1 million as part of a regulated experiment. The project will last two to three years, the bank said. It will be seeking operational experience in digital asset processes rather than increasing investment activity.
Most of the portfolio constitutes Bitcoin, the bank said. It also comprises a U.S. dollar based stablecoin and a tokenized deposit. The entire property was bought in exchange. The bank did not identify the counterparties or provide technical execution details.
CNB Tests Digital Asset Procedures and Controls
According to a report, the pilot will seek to try out plans connected with buying, holding and managing digital assets. The test will include administrative, multi-level approval, and emergency situations as well as security concerns. It will also examine compliance with anti-money-laundering rules in a digital world.
The nation’s central bank clarified that the digital asset holdings will not be part of the country’s international reserves. It does not intend to grow the portfolio during the pilot phase. The scale will be cogged to the floor as part of an assessment of the entire working process.
The Bank Board, after reviewing the analysis of a potential investments in other asset categories, approved the acquisition on 30 October 2025. It said this reflected the rapid growth of digital assets now being added to holdings by a wide range of funds and companies. It also observed that such assets may find greater favor in the years ahead.
The bank said that it aims to be prepared for these changes. It also said that it had no intention in the foreseeable future to buy Bitcoin or any other digital assets as part of its international reserves. The remaining assets segments that have been covered in the assessment have not yet been decided upon by the Bank Board.
CNB Explores Tokenized Finance and Future Payments
The governor Ales Michl first floated the idea of looking into Bitcoin earlier in the year. He said ”fast-evolving” payment systems and tokenised financial instruments necessitated central banks’ familiarisation with newer systems. Tokenised assets were becoming financial infrastructure at large, he observed.
Michl added that in the future, users may be able to buy tokenised government bonds or other instruments using the Czech crown, facilitated by an easy transaction. The pilot will enable the bank to learn about what such actions could look like, he said. It also will provide information on technical and operational needs and compliance requirements, he added.
The announcement comes after research from Deutsche Bank. Analysts at the bank wrote that by 2030 gold and Bitcoin could be traded as central bank money, adding that the word “money” would increasingly have to accommodate digital currencies in its definition. They assessed volatility, liquidity, strategic value and reliance on the assets.
Bitcoin’s price performance was driven by a rise in institutional participation, the research said. According to the fund, the asset is being accepted as a macro hedge candidate. Several companies already have Bitcoin in reserves — such as MicroStrategy, Tesla and Metaplanet.
The Czech National Bank said the pilot is aimed at operational knowledge. It will re-examine the results after this test period and look at how what it’s learned could be applied to future digital asset frameworks.
