The Governor of the Czech National Bank Will Soon Talk About Why They Are Splitting Their Money With Bitcoin

Aleš Michl has been officially confirmed as a speaker at Bitcoin 2026, where he will deliver a keynote address titled “Diversifying Central Bank Reserves With Bitcoin” on April 28 at 10:20 AM PT on the Nakamoto Stage at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. Michl serves as the Governor of the Czech National Bank (CNB) – and his presence at the event marks a significant moment as he becomes the first central bank governor to speak at the Bitcoin Summit.

By January 2025, Michl proposed allocating up to 5% of the CNB’s 140 billion euros to Bitcoin, citing its low correlation with traditional assets such as bonds as a key factor that makes it an attractive option for diversification. The proposal drew international attention and backlash. The proposal attracted international attention which saw a backlash from central bank officials. As from the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, who publicly stated that she is confident that Bitcoin will not enter the reserves of any central banks in the EU. Even though the Czech Republic does not use the euro, Michl showed little sign of being affected by the criticism.

In November 2025, CNB made the first purchase of a digital asset – a $1 million test portfolio that includes Bitcoin, a stablecoin based on the US dollar, and a token deposit, built within the CNB Lab to test the operational realities of holding blockchain-based instruments from the perspective of the central bank. Michl put it as an act of preparation rather than speculation. “The purpose was to examine decentralized bitcoin from a central bank perspective and to explore its potential role in diversifying our reserves,” he said. “We will inform the public about our experience further and introduce the test in two to three years.”

His Bitcoin 2026 keynote will offer a rare view from inside a sitting central bank – one that has moved from discussion to actual Bitcoin purchases, and looks at how the wider global financial system is beginning to respond. Bitcoin 2026 takes place April 27-29 at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.