On April 29, 2026, Dr. Ko Ju-Chun, a member of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, delivered the Bitcoin Policy Institute’s (BPI) report on bitcoin reserves directly to Premier Cho Jung-tai and Central Bank of China Governor Yang Chin-long during a formal interpellation session. The report, written by Jacob Langenkamp and published in March 2026, lays out the trade, economic, and security case for holding bitcoin as a reserve asset alongside gold and foreign currency. The proposal zeroes in on Taiwan’s enormous foreign exchange war chest. The country holds approximately $602 billion in FX reserves, with over 80% held in dollar-denominated assets. Ko Ju-Chun and the BPI argue that this concentration creates exposure to currency devaluation risk AND critically, to scenarios where Taiwan’s dollar assets could become inaccessible due to geopolitical escalation with China. The initial allocation floated is approximately $2.5 billion in bitcoin, less than 0.5% of total reserves, a modest entry point but a symbolically significant one.
Bitcoin as a Geopolitical Hedge
The argument Ko Ju-Chun is making is not new in structure, but it carries distinct weight in Taiwan’s context. The BPI report explicitly cites bitcoin’s fixed supply, decentralization, and resistance to seizure as attributes that make it uniquely suited to Taiwan’s security situation (since it cannot be frozen by a foreign government or cut off through a SWIFT-style financial blockade). The framing also mirrors arguments now circulating across multiple jurisdictions. In the U.S., speculation surrounding a reserve’s creation has extended to four nations, with relevant legislation advancing in at least 15 U.S. states. Brazil has also reintroduced legislation that would allow up to 1 million BTC in national reserves. What sets Taiwan’s move apart is the delivery: Ko Ju-Chun did not simply float the idea publicly; he handed the BPI report directly to the two people most responsible for Taiwan’s monetary policy, creating a formal record within the legislative process.
Market and Policy Implications
If adopted, Taiwan would become one of the first jurisdictions in Asia to incorporate bitcoin into its official foreign exchange reserves. This could pressure other Asian economies with large FX reserves—such as Japan and South Korea—to evaluate similar measures. However, significant hurdles remain. Taiwan’s central bank may express concerns over bitcoin’s price volatility, liquidity constraints, and lack of a clear regulatory framework. Ko Ju-Chun addressed these by noting that the proposed 0.5% allocation is small enough to avoid systemic risk yet large enough to test operational capabilities and market reactions. The Executive Yuan and the Central Bank will now assess the proposal before any decision is made. Even if Taipei does not act immediately, the conversation has officially entered the policy arena, placing Taiwan alongside the United States and Brazil in the global debate over bitcoin strategic reserves.
In a broader context, Taiwan’s unique geopolitical situation gives it an acute sensitivity to financial sovereignty and asset freezability—factors that could accelerate a more favorable reevaluation of bitcoin among policymakers. The BPI report itself frames bitcoin as a 'tool for economic resilience' in the face of potential sanctions or external coercion, a narrative that resonates strongly in Taipei. While no decision has been announced, the direct presentation to the premier and central bank governor marks a milestone: the idea of a bitcoin reserve is no longer theoretical in Taiwan; it is a formal policy proposal under consideration at the highest levels of government.