Key Highlights
- Kazakhstan’s President has officially ordered the creation of a state-owned Bitcoin reserve
- The reserve will be uniquely funded through two streams, including digital assets confiscated from criminals and cryptocurrencies mined directly by the government itself
- This moves places Kazakhstan in a growing “cold war” of national Bitcoin reserves
On September 8, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that it would create a Bitcoin reserve. This announcement will put the Central Asian nation alongside other countries building stockpiles of digital assets like Bitcoin.
🚨BREAKING: 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan’s President has ordered the creation of a strategic Bitcoin reserve.
This is huge. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hKb1kltkXa
— Bitcoin Archive (@BTC_Archive) September 8, 2025
“Today, in Kazakhstan, banking assets and capital are on average several times more profitable than in developed countries. This is due to the fact that it is more profitable for domestic banks to invest in low-risk instruments than in lending to the economy. Deputies and experts have repeatedly raised this issue,” he said.
Kazakhstan Follows the Footsteps of the U.S.
The directive came directly from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on September 8. He ordered the National Bank to form a strategic reserve that would include confiscated digital assets and cryptocurrencies mined by the state.
This initiative aims to diversify the national economy and use crypto as a shield against inflation and global financial uncertainty.
This decision is part of a broader global trend. Inspired by similar moves from the United States under the Trump administration and several Asian nations, Kazakhstan is now entering what experts are calling a “cold war of national Bitcoin reserves.”
“Given the current realities, we must focus on crypto-assets. A State Digital Asset Fund should be established under the National Bank’s investment corporation. This fund would accumulate a strategic crypto reserve consisting of the most promising assets of the new digital financial system,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
“We should accelerate the formation of a full-fledged ecosystem of digital assets. The government, together with the National Bank, needs to develop a program for investing in high-tech sectors of the economy in the amount of up to one billion dollars,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
From Mining Hub to Strategic Holder
Kazakhstan is no stranger to cryptocurrency. The country was once a global leader in Bitcoin mining, thanks to its abundant and cheap energy from coal and hydropower.
After a period of crackdowns due to energy shortages, the government has been working to create a clearer and more supportive regulatory environment.
The Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) has already legalized crypto trading. This new plan to create a formal state-owned reserve is the next logical step.
The reserve will be funded by assets seized from criminals and from the government’s own mining operations. It turns a once-gray area into an official national strategy.
Following a Global Playbook
Kazakhstan is not alone in this endeavor. The small Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has been a quiet pioneer, accumulating over 13,000 Bitcoins through state-run mining. This massive reserve, worth over $1.3 billion, has helped fund government salaries and infrastructure projects.
This trend has been accelerated by pro-crypto policies in the U.S. President Donald Trump’s creation of a U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve earlier this year signaled a major shift, encouraging other nations to view Bitcoin as a legitimate asset class, often referred to as “digital gold.”
Other countries like El Salvador, Russia, and Brazil are also exploring or have already started building their own national crypto reserves, each with its own economic and geopolitical motivations.
Many Countries are Preparing to Establish a Bitcoin Reserve
As of this September, a growing number of nations are lining up to join the Bitcoin revolution. At least 12 countries have publicly taken steps toward creating their own national Bitcoin reserves.
This count is based on a review of government announcements, proposed legislation, and official studies from around the world. It includes nations that have made commitments or are debating plans, but have not yet finished building their reserves.
