The BTC Brief: Canada’s Role in the Global Bitcoin Shift
Why Bitcoin, Why Now
Since its founding in 2018, the Canadian Blockchain Consortium has been Canada’s leading advocacy and ecosystem organization for digital assets, building bridges between industry, government, regulators, and financial institutions. From the beginning, our focus has been on advancing sound monetary and energy policy through the responsible growth of the Bitcoin ecosystem. We have helped attract some of the world’s largest Bitcoin mining and infrastructure companies to Canada, supported education on Bitcoin’s economic and environmental impact, and worked tirelessly to establish the country as a trusted global hub for digital energy innovation.
When we first began, the term blockchain served as an accessible entry point, a way to open doors, build credibility, and engage with policymakers and institutions unfamiliar with Bitcoin’s broader implications. It allowed us to unite Canada’s leading companies and regulatory bodies under a shared understanding of innovation and governance. But the foundation of our work has never changed: we have always believed in Bitcoin’s role as the world’s only truly scarce, decentralized, and sound form of money, and as the cornerstone of a more secure, transparent, and inclusive financial future.
Now, with years of proven credibility, institutional partnerships, and government trust behind us, we are proud to bring our identity in line with our mission. Our rebrand as the Canadian Bitcoin Consortium reflects who we have always been an organization rooted in the principles of Bitcoin and dedicated to fostering its responsible adoption across Canada’s economy, energy sector, and financial system. This evolution allows us to speak more clearly to our purpose while continuing to serve as a safe and collaborative space for regulators, banks, law enforcement, and innovators to convene.
Why now? Because the world is waking up to Bitcoin’s geopolitical and economic significance, and Canada must not be left behind. As global jurisdictions recognize Bitcoin’s potential to drive investment, create jobs, and strengthen energy independence, Canada has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead. The Canadian Bitcoin Consortium will continue to champion that vision advancing education, policy, and innovation that empower Canadians to participate in a sound, sovereign, and prosperous digital future.
Introducing The Bitcoin Brief
We are launching The Bitcoin Brief as your way of staying connected to all things Bitcoin, to find out the latest trends, insights, and hear what the experts are saying about Bitcoin policy around the world. As Bitcoin continues to gain momentum as a financial and strategic geopolitical instrument, nation states and jurisdictions across the world are pivoting their policies and priorities to the digital asset space.
The Canadian Bitcoin Consortium successfully hosted a landmark event in Ottawa called “Bitcoin on the Hill” in September 2025 to drive the conversation forward on Bitcoin and the digital asset space. Members of Parliament and government participated in high-level discussions on Canada’s role in this emerging frontier.
As Canadians increasingly adopt Bitcoin, countries, investment experts, and financial institutions are seeing it as a safe haven asset in an environment of uncertainty and economic turbulence. Global Bitcoin adoption has crossed 500 million users, with emerging markets leading the way.
Canada’s Evolving Role
Canadians are increasingly turning to Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation, a store of value, and a means of participating in the digital economy.
While cryptocurrency is legal but not recognized as legal tender, Canada’s framework remains fragmented. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) requires registration of crypto exchanges as money service businesses, yet lack of clarity on custody, taxation, and institutional participation continues to hinder growth.
Industry experts warn that unless Canada establishes a coherent, innovation-friendly regulatory regime, it risks losing its competitive edge to the United States, Europe, Asian hubs, and emerging markets that have embraced digital asset frameworks.
Global Adoption and Sovereign Moves: 2025 in Review
Bitcoin’s evolution from a speculative digital asset to a strategic global financial instrument has accelerated dramatically in 2025. Governments, central banks, and major institutions are increasingly recognizing Bitcoin’s role in financial stability, reserve diversification, and sovereign strategy. A growing number of jurisdictions are now treating Bitcoin as a legitimate component of their monetary or fiscal frameworks.
A recent Deutsche Bank report predicts that Bitcoin could join gold on central bank balance sheets before the end of this decade, serving as a complementary reserve asset. The bank noted that Bitcoin’s volatility is declining and its liquidity and institutional depth are improving, making it a more attractive long-term holding for reserve managers seeking diversification. This forecast aligns with global trends toward monetary hedging and de-dollarization, especially in emerging markets.
Similarly, the United States has already established a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, formalizing the management of seized BTC as part of a non-disposable national asset base.
Around the world, several governments are exploring similar models. Brazil’s Congress is debating a proposal to allocate up to five percent of the country’s international reserves into Bitcoin an unprecedented move in Latin America that could position Brazil as a digital reserve pioneer. In the Philippines, legislators have introduced a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, calling for the central bank to acquire 10,000 BTC over five years, held under long-term cold storage with transparent audits and limited liquidation authority.
If enacted, this would make the Philippines one of the first Asian nations to institutionalize Bitcoin in its sovereign reserves. Meanwhile, Visual Capitalist’s 2025 global ranking shows that governments such as the United States, China, Ukraine, and El Salvador are already significant Bitcoin holders, collectively owning tens of billions in BTC, much of it acquired through enforcement actions or strategic purchases.
In Africa, corporate participation is taking a leading role. South Africa’s Altvest Capital recently rebranded as the Africa Bitcoin Corporation, becoming the continent’s first publicly listed company to implement a dedicated Bitcoin treasury strategy. The firm plans to raise approximately 210 million USD to purchase Bitcoin as a reserve asset while providing investors with regulated capital-market exposure through equity shares. The company’s leadership has described this as a unique opportunity for Africa to anchor long-term value and attract institutional investment amid persistent currency devaluation and capital flight.
These shifts underscore a fundamental reality: Bitcoin is no longer viewed solely as a speculative instrument. It is becoming a monetary hedge, a liquidity tool, and a geopolitical asset. The trend toward formalized reserves, national Bitcoin treasuries, and corporate balance-sheet exposure reflects a broader rebalancing of the global financial order.
For Canada, these developments hold clear implications. As central banks and legislatures around the world integrate Bitcoin into their financial strategies, Canada faces an opportunity to evaluate how Bitcoin could complement its own reserve and innovation policies. The Canadian Bitcoin Consortium recommends that policymakers closely monitor international models, particularly those emphasizing transparency, proof-of-reserve audits, and renewable-energy-backed mining and consider how a Canadian digital asset framework could leverage these lessons to enhance monetary resilience, institutional participation, and energy competitiveness in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
Why It Matters for Canada
Canada possesses unique advantages in this new landscape.
Energy abundance: Provinces such as Quebec and Manitoba can leverage renewable power for sustainable Bitcoin mining operations.
Technological capacity: A robust fintech sector and blockchain talent pool position Canada as a potential innovation hub.
Stable governance: Canada’s transparent institutions and legal system can attract international capital if supportive digital asset policies are established.
However, several constraints remain.
Access to banking is the largest issue facing money service businesses. Bitcoin holdings are still excluded from registered accounts like RRSPs and TFSAs. Regulatory uncertainty is prompting Canadian Bitcoin companies to relocate to the U.S. and Europe, where clearer frameworks are emerging. Legislation such as Bill C-2 and Bill C-8 presents serious challenges for the industry.
To maintain leadership, Canada must modernize its approach balancing investor protection with innovation and competitiveness.
Policy Recommendations
Clarify Legal and Regulatory Definitions
Define digital assets distinctly as commodities or securities, providing legal certainty for exchanges, custodians, and investors.
Enable Institutional Participation
Approve and expand spot Bitcoin ETFs, allow Bitcoin in registered investment accounts, and develop guidelines for fiduciary custody and tax treatment.
Support Mining and Infrastructure
Encourage energy-efficient mining through surplus renewable power and provincial partnerships. Recognize Bitcoin mining as a strategic digital industry contributing to energy grid stability.
Enhance Public Sector Understanding
Establish a Digital Assets Task Force within Parliament to study economic, monetary, and cybersecurity implications, ensuring informed decision-making.
Promote International Coordination
Align with allies on AML/KYC standards while engaging in global digital finance forums to ensure Canada’s voice shapes the rules of this new frontier.
The Road Ahead
Bitcoin’s global ascent has shifted from speculation to infrastructure adoption. It now represents a monetary alternative that blends open-source innovation with financial sovereignty. For Canadians, it offers a tool to preserve value, enable cross-border trade, and strengthen individual financial autonomy.
As global institutions integrate Bitcoin into balance sheets and investment strategies, policymakers face a pivotal question:
Will Canada seize this opportunity to lead in the digital asset economy, or watch others define it?
The Consortium stands ready to continue its dialogue with government, regulators, and industry to craft a framework that ensures Canada thrives in the age of Bitcoin. Building this framework requires a coordinated roadmap that connects sound monetary policy, responsible energy development, and a national innovation strategy.
Energy and Innovation Leadership: Powering Canada’s Digital Future
At the center of Canada’s opportunity lies its most strategic advantage energy. The intersection of Bitcoin mining and energy policy is transforming how the world thinks about power generation, grid stability, and sustainable development.
Over the past five years, the Consortium has been instrumental in shaping this transformation. Through our annual trade missions held each July in Alberta, we have facilitated gigawatts of off-grid and behind-the-fence power development, converting stranded and surplus energy into productive digital infrastructure.
Thanks to these efforts, Canada has become one of the most attractive jurisdictions globally for Bitcoin mining, supported by abundant and affordable natural gas, a stable political environment, and an exceptional regulatory climate. Alberta, in particular, has emerged as a global leader. The province’s energy-rich landscape, forward-looking regulatory approach, and the world-class welcome extended by provincial ministries, regulators, and financial institutions have made it a model for how responsible Bitcoin mining can align with economic growth and environmental stewardship.
The Consortium’s partnerships and policy advocacy have helped attract some of the world’s largest Bitcoin miners to Canada, fostering billions of dollars in investment and establishing the foundation for a thriving digital energy ecosystem. These companies are strengthening the grid, revitalizing underutilized assets, creating local employment, and advancing technologies in energy recycling and emissions reduction.
Alberta is now on track to become one of the top global contributors to Bitcoin’s hash rate, demonstrating how Canada’s natural resources can fuel the next generation of digital infrastructure. As energy markets evolve, Bitcoin mining will play an essential role in driving efficiency, optimizing grid balance, and unlocking new economic pathways for provinces across the country.
The Canadian Bitcoin Consortium remains dedicated to advancing this vision integrating energy innovation into national economic policy, ensuring regulatory alignment, and continuing to build the partnerships that make Canada a global leader in the digital energy revolution.
