30s Summary

Polish presidential candidate Sławomir Mentzen has promised to create a strategic Bitcoin reserve if he wins the upcoming elections. He plans to transform Poland into a safe haven for cryptocurrency and follow a model policy proposed by the Satoshi Action Fund. This move echoes promises made by Donald Trump during his campaign and aligns Mentzen with the stances of El Salvador and Bhutan, countries that have already taken significant steps towards obtaining and holding large quantities of Bitcoin.

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Sławomir Mentzen, a candidate for Poland’s presidential race, has made it clear that if he wins the elections next year, he’d establish a Bitcoin reserve for the country. This move is similar to what President-elect Donald Trump pledged during his own campaign.

Mentzen said in a conversation on Nov. 17 that once he takes office, he intends to make Poland friendlier to the cryptocurrency community. Asked if he was considering setting up a Bitcoin reserve, he replied, “Poland should create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.”

Mentzen added, “If I become the President of Poland, we’ll turn our country into a safe harbor for cryptocurrency, with reassuring regulations, low taxes, and a welcoming attitude from both banks and the powers-that-be. Bitcoin to the Moon is the goal!”

In a previous social media post, Lech Wilczynski, who is the CEO of crypto trading platform Swap.ly, shared a model policy for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve made by the Satoshi Action Fund, a crypto advocacy organization. Wilczynski asked Mentzen if he would follow this model if he ends up becoming president.

Wilczynski said, “The draft SMR bill is available, so why wait? This bill should go ahead before it’s too late rather than passing a vague bill about crypto assets.”

So, will Sławomir Mentzen seek to create a strategic reserve in Poland? Mentzen responded saying, “of course,” he would.

Presidential elections will occur in Poland around May 2025. Mentzen has become quite popular in Poland, particularly among libertarian and right-wing voters.

During his campaign, Trump made plenty of cryptocurrency-related promises, including the idea of a “Strategic Bitcoin Stockpile.”

Earlier this year, in July, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis proposed a bill meant to create a Bitcoin strategic reserve. The intention, if approved, is to use this reserve as a security against national debt.

The bill explains that the aim is to secure one million Bitcoin over the course of five years to hold for no less than 20 years.

A couple of other nations have already taken drastic measures to hold large amounts of Bitcoin. In 2021, El Salvador became the first-ever country to make Bitcoin official legal tender. Under President Nayib Bukele’s leadership, the country continues to store more Bitcoin, with their current stash at roughly 5,748.8 Bitcoin.

The Kingdom of Bhutan has also been quietly mining Bitcoin for a while now. A revelation from Arkham Intelligence in September disclosed that Bhutan is holding approximately $780 million in digital assets.