- The UK diverges from the U.S. on Bitcoin reserves.
- UK holds 61,000 BTC from enforcement actions.
- New UK crypto regulations planned for late 2025.
Emma Reynolds, Economic Secretary to the UK Treasury, announced on May 6, 2025, at the Financial Times Digital Asset Summit in London, that the UK will not be establishing a national Bitcoin reserve.
The rejection of the national Bitcoin reserve plan signifies a different path from the U.S., emphasizing regulations within existing financial systems. Markets showed a slight stability as the decision was announced.
The UK Treasury’s decision stems from meetings between UK and U.S. finance officials. Emma Reynolds stated that creating a national reserve is inappropriate for the UK market, highlighting existing cryptocurrency holdings from enforcement actions totaling over 61,000 BTC.
“We don’t think that’s appropriate for our market. We understand that’s what the U.S. is going for, but that’s not the plan for us.” — Emma Reynolds, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, UK Treasury
The UK is developing a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, aiming for completion by late 2025. This initiative is coupled with exploring blockchain for sovereign debt issuance, revealing selective adoption of blockchain technologies by the government.
Market impact was observed with Bitcoin trading at $93,857, reflecting a minor decrease of 0.45% post-announcement. The focus remains on regulatory clarity within the framework of traditional financial services.
Experts recognize the challenges of regulating decentralized systems, yet cooperation between the UK and US continues with the establishment of a new digital assets regulatory forum in June 2025. The UK’s approach remains pragmatic, building on existing regulatory foundations while acknowledging the limits of controlling decentralized assets.
