Campaigners want Swiss central bank to hold bitcoin in reserves

Campaigners have launched a people's initiative to oblige the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to hold part of its reserves in bitcoin. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The initiative text was published in the Federal Gazette on Tuesday. The committee for the proposal, entitled "For a financially strong, sovereign and responsible Switzerland (Bitcoin Initiative)" have 18 months to collect the 100,000 signatures necessary for it to be put to a public vote. The initiative calls for a change to the constitution stating that the SNB should build up currency reserves from its earnings, part of which should be held in gold and bitcoin. The text does not specify how much bitcoin should be held. The initiative is backed by a group led by internet pioneer and author Yves Bennaïm from French-speaking Switzerland, as well as a number of Swiss cryptocurrency advocates. The primary aim is to initiate a debate, Bennaïm told the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper in spring. Two years ...