Trump Bitcoin Reserve under fire: EU sounds alarm over ‘American brutality’

• Trump’s Bitcoin Reserve faces skepticism amid political concerns and fluctuating BTC prices.
• Experts debate Bitcoin’s financial impact, with institutions showing a growing interest in digital assets.

There’s been a flurry of excitement over President Trump’s plan to create a Strategic Bitcoin [BTC] Reserve, particularly following his executive order on the 6th of March to use seized BTC from criminal and civil cases.

Yet, despite the hype, Polymarket data shows only a 29% chance that this reserve will materialize within his first 100 days.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s price, which once soared past $100K, is now struggling to maintain momentum—trading at approximately $83,340.38, up just 0.78% in the past day per CoinMarketCap.

Is Europe against Trump’s Bitcoin Reserve plan?

That being said, as the U.S. pushes forward with its aggressive digital asset policies, European financial leaders are voicing caution.

Francois Villeroy de Galhau of the ECB warned in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche that financial crises often originate in the U.S. and then ripple globally. 

Galhau said, 

“We are indeed seeing great brutality on the American side. Donald Trump seems to harbor this false vision that the global economy is a zero-sum game. He sees it like a Monopoly board, with a fixation on trade deficits: what some gain is necessarily what others lose.” 

He further added, 

“No! Trade is about exchanging ideas, talents, and products to create wealth together. We must not respond to this brutality with passivity or inevitability, but with will. On the trade front, we undoubtedly need to establish a balance of power to put ourselves in a position to negotiate. But above all, let us not miss this opportunity to awaken and strengthen Europe.” 

Despite his concerns over U.S. crypto policies, Galhau reassured that Europe’s financial system remains well-regulated, reducing the likelihood of a banking crisis.

He emphasized the need for a stronger global role for the euro, advocating for a robust savings and investment framework to attract international capital.

Mixed community reactions on Trump’s Bitcoin Reserve

Meanwhile, in the U.S., opposition to the proposed Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is mounting.

Representative Gerald Connolly has called on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt the initiative, citing potential conflicts of interest tied to President Trump and his close allies, further fueling skepticism around the plan.

While concerns over the risks of a Bitcoin reserve persist, not everyone shares this skepticism.

Crypto analyst Christopher Perkins argues that digital assets could actually strengthen financial stability by enabling real-time transactions and reducing settlement delays—issues that traditional finance has long struggled with, as seen in the 1974 Herstatt Bank collapse.

Drawing from his experience during the Lehman Brothers crisis, Perkins underscores the importance of liquidity in maintaining market resilience.

Meanwhile, institutional interest in crypto is also surging, with Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong noting increased government involvement in blockchain adoption.

Even Deutsche Bank has acknowledged Bitcoin’s potential role in shaping global financial standards, signaling that the debate over digital assets in national reserves is far from over.