European leaders have shown little enthusiasm for the idea of a Bitcoin reserve, with the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, stating that central bank reserves should be liquid, secure, and free from suspicions of money laundering. However, some in Eastern Europe, such as the governor of the Czech National Bank, Aleš Michl, have proposed the idea of diversifying reserves with Bitcoin. In neighboring Poland, presidential candidate Sławomir Mentzen has promised to set up a Bitcoin reserve if elected. Other European central bankers, including Germany's Joachim Nagel and France's Francois Villeroy de Galhau, have expressed skepticism towards Bitcoin and warned of risks to financial stability. The Swiss National Bank has also stated it is unlikely to hold Bitcoins in its reserves. In Russia, there has been no definitive stance on a Bitcoin reserve, but the Ministry of Finance has hinted at potential crypto investments. Geopolitically, the US decision not to pursue a digital dollar has been seen as an opportunity for other countries to take the lead in central bank digital currencies. Europe is looking to implement a digital euro, but critics have raised concerns over privacy and debanking, and some have called for a strategic national reserve of Bitcoin instead.



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