Peter Schiff, a noted macroeconomic analyst and gold advocate, recently shared his perspective on Japan’s economic policies, while also expressing strong skepticism about the concept of Bitcoin (BTC) as a strategic reserve.
Noting that the Bank of Japan’s efforts to raise inflation over the past decade have backfired, Schiff suggested that the economy would have been in better shape if inflation had remained below 2% rather than above 3.4% as it is now, a scenario that he believes would have prevented the accumulation of major government debt.
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In response to a follower’s suggestion that several countries, including the United States, might be planning to adopt BTC as a strategic reserve, Schiff dismissed the idea as unfounded speculation. He suggested that such claims were likely being propagated by individuals seeking to manipulate the Bitcoin price for personal gain.
Japan’s own stance on cryptocurrency reserves has been cautious, with none other than Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba saying in December 2024 that the volatility of crypto-assets, including Bitcoin, was incompatible with the current system, making the introduction of a BTC reserve questionable.
Does Bitcoin belong to strategic reserve?
However, the lack of information on U.S. plans was also cited as one of the reasons, which offers a glimmer of hope for those advocating the creation of a Japanese Bitcoin reserve. Once this issue is finally resolved in the U.S., the other countries that rely on the U.S. as a benchmark will also make their decisions regarding such an initiative.
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According to the latest news, the new U.S. administration, which will come into power, plans to appoint around 24 CEOs and corporate funders to its proposed Cryptocurrency Advisory Council to provide policy to create a strategic Bitcoin reserve. It will also work with key government agencies, including the SEC, CFTC and Treasury, to provide regulatory clarity and create a favorable environment for cryptocurrencies.
None of this is set in stone yet, leaving room for speculation such as Schiff’s. The only concrete information the market will likely get is when the relevant guidelines are issued by the relevant authorities.
