Bitcoin (BTC) adoption is rising amongst international locations, with 32 nations actively pursuing publicity by way of laws, representing roughly one in six nations worldwide, in line with a Bitcoin Coverage Institute report printed Sept. 22.
The research paperwork a fast acceleration in authorities adoption following President Donald Trump’s election and subsequent government order establishing a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
The report recognized energetic Bitcoin publicity in 27 international locations, whereas 13 have proposed laws to realize such publicity.
The numbers mirror overlapping classes, as some nations pursue a number of approaches concurrently. Argentina operates government-backed mining utilizing flared fuel whereas proposing laws for a strategic reserve.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) employs three energetic publicity strategies: government-backed mining, sovereign wealth fund investments in Bitcoin ETFs, and tax fee acceptance.
Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is the go-to technique
Strategic Bitcoin Reserves (SBR) symbolize the most typical method, with 16 international locations having proposed or enacted such insurance policies.
Trump’s government order established federal coverage of retaining reasonably than promoting seized Bitcoin holdings, citing $17 billion in potential good points that might have been missed from earlier liquidations.
Arizona, New Hampshire, and Texas have codified state-level reserves into regulation, with dozens extra states contemplating related measures.
Moreover the thought of an SBR, government-backed Bitcoin mining ranks because the second most prevalent technique, with 14 international locations actively or proposing such operations.
Authorities-backed exploration
Ten nations at the moment mine by way of electrical energy provision preparations that generate profit-sharing Bitcoin accumulation. Argentina, Bhutan, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Oman, Russia, the UAE, and Venezuela all preserve or beforehand operated authorities mining applications.
Seven international locations maintain Bitcoin by way of passive holdings, comprising seized cryptocurrency that governments have chosen to not promote. Bulgaria, China, Finland, Georgia, India, the UK, and Venezuela preserve such holdings, with Finland particularly retaining cash pending courtroom rulings.
4 international locations settle for tax funds in Bitcoin throughout varied jurisdictions. Panama Metropolis, the Swiss cantons, Dubai, and Colorado state permit Bitcoin tax funds, with Vancouver, Canada, proposing related laws.
Authorities pension funds and sovereign wealth funds present extra publicity avenues. Michigan’s state pension fund invested instantly in Bitcoin, whereas 17 different state pension funds preserve oblique publicity by way of Technique holdings.
Internationally, Japan’s authorities pension fund is exploring direct funding, and South Korea’s fund holds substantial Strategic allocations.
‘Recreation-theoretic race’
The report positioned Bitcoin adoption as a “game-theoretic race” amongst nations looking for alternate options to conventional reserve property. Nations view Bitcoin as a complement to gold reserves, offering digital portability benefits over bodily property.
The authors argue that Bitcoin affords sanctions-resistant properties and permits direct worldwide funds with out greenback intermediation.
Adoption momentum has accelerated markedly since Trump’s election, with publicity occasions spiking from sporadic pre-2020 exercise to over 50 occasions in early 2025.
The report concluded that main powers throughout continents now interact with Bitcoin as a macroeconomic asset, making a reversal unlikely.