Brazil’s Congress has reintroduced Bill 4501/2024, a proposal that could position the country among the first major economies to formally integrate Bitcoin into its sovereign reserves.
The updated version of the bill expands on the original framework introduced by Congressman Eros Biondini in November 2024. It outlines the creation of a Strategic Sovereign Bitcoin Reserve (RESBit), with a long-term target of accumulating up to 1 million BTC over a five-year period.
At current market prices, that allocation would represent more than $67 billion in Bitcoin exposure.
From 5% Allocation to Structured Accumulation Plan
The initial proposal suggested that Brazil allocate up to 5% of its nearly $370 billion in foreign exchange reserves into Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and external monetary risk.
The revised draft maintains the diversification logic but adds operational clarity. RESBit would be managed by the Central Bank as part of the national treasury strategy, with acquisitions phased over several years rather than executed immediately.
Supporters argue that Bitcoin offers characteristics aligned with sovereign reserve principles: limited supply, resistance to inflationary dilution, and immunity from external seizure when properly custodied.
During a congressional forum, Pedro Giocondo Guerra — representing the Vice President’s office — described Bitcoin as “digital gold,” emphasizing that discussing sovereign BTC reserves is not speculative politics but a matter of long-term economic positioning.
The original bill cleared its first committee stage and underwent a public hearing in August 2025 before being reintroduced with expanded scope.
Brazil in the Global Bitcoin Reserve Race
If approved, Brazil would become the first G20 nation to formally codify Bitcoin as a sovereign reserve asset through legislation. This move would mark a structural shift beyond symbolic adoption.
For context, El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 and has continued accumulating BTC since. Meanwhile, in the United States, Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 6 establishing an American Bitcoin reserve framework.
Brazil’s approach, however, differs: instead of legal tender status, the focus is treasury-level diversification — treating Bitcoin as a macro hedge rather than a payment instrument.
If implemented, RESBit would signal that sovereign Bitcoin strategy is no longer confined to smaller economies — and that emerging markets are increasingly willing to challenge traditional reserve compositions.