🚀 "Bitcoin Reserve – The Hype, Reality & What It Means for the Future" 🔍💰 🎙️ Live on LinkedIn with Ralph Gebran & RA George 👥🌐
01:19:37 Share

🎥 LinkedIn Live Event

Topic: Bitcoin Reserve – The Hype, Reality & Some DetailsDate: Monday, 27th May****Time: 19:00 GST****Hosts:

- Ralph Gebran), Managing Partner at Onramp MENA

- RA George), Host of Blockchain DXB) & Bitcoin DXB)

Contact info for Ralph Gebran via LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphgebran/

Bitcoin Advisor & Educator | Helping HNWIs, Institutions & Sovereigns Navigate Custody, Access & Strategy | Managing Partner at Onramp MENA

Subscribe to Ralph's newsletter here - https://the-bitcoin-observer.beehiiv.com/subscribe

• Website - https://www.onrampmena.com/

• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@OnrampMediaOnramp Mena LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/onramp-mena/

• X/Twitter https://x.com/OnrampMENA

George:

- Brief background on Bitcoin DXB

- What to expect from this conversation

- Ralph:

- Intro to Onramp MENA

- How Onramp supports institutional and regional clients

- George: What is Bitcoin? How do we define it as a reserve asset?

- Explore Satoshi Nakamoto’s caution in 2010:

- “The project needs to grow gradually…”

- Link to Satoshi’s quote)

- Simon Dixon: Vision for governments to announce BTC holdings

- Brilliant explainer: 6 forms of money)

- 2013: Invited by Boris Johnson to explain BTC

- Trump’s recent declaration parallels Simon’s idea

- Carlos Maslatón: Advocate for Bitcoin since 2014

- $348M (2014) → ~$47B (2024)

- President Javier Milei – Pro-Bitcoin, wants to shut down Central Bank

- "Bitcoin is a reaction to the scam of central banking"

- First country to legalize Bitcoin mining (2019)

- Over 1,000 licenses issued

- Sanction workarounds?

- BTC became legal tender in 2021

- Jan 2025: Legal tender status revoked under IMF pressure

- Parallels with Pakistan and their IMF loan

- Wakar Zaka: Pushed BTC mining agenda with Imran Khan

- Ricardo Salinas:

- 10% in 2020 → 60% in 2022

- “Hardest asset in the world”

- Banco Azteca accepts BTC

- Trump’s Executive Order (Mar 2025):

- Creation of Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

- Link: White House Order)

- No federal BTC purchases yet

- Political Divide:

- 🟥 Republican-led states: Texas, AZ, GA, OK, WY, AL, PA

- 🔵 Democrat-led states: IL, MA, MD, NM, MI

- ✅ Approved states:

- New Hampshire – Up to 5% public fund allocation

- Arizona – Signed HB 2749

- Texas – Senate Bill 21 passed (awaiting Governor signature)

- Remittance Tax Bill (22nd May):

- 5% tax – could accelerate crypto adoption

Discussion of top Bitcoin-holding firms:

(Screen share of top 5 during session)

- Al Abraaj adds Bitcoin to reserves – a regional first

- Ralph to mention Onramp MENA’s role

- Any public/private plans toward BTC as a strategic reserve?

- Ideal BTC allocation (% of reserves)

- CoinShares Report: “A Little Bitcoin Goes A Long Way”)

- Benefits of adding 1–5% BTC to portfolios

- For financial advisors and asset managers

- Short-term:

- CPI: bls.gov)

- FOMC: federalreserve.gov)

- Tariffs: whitehouse.gov)

- Long-term:

- Global instability → Bitcoin’s appeal as digital gold

- Holds 13,029 BTC

- Ranks #5 globally in BTC holdings

- Nigel Farage, Poland's Sławomir Mentzen, Czech Central Bank Governor, Swiss Referendum (pending 100K signatures)

- Bitcoin is evolving from a cypherpunk dream to a global reserve strategy

- Final Thoughts from George & Ralph

- Call to action:

- Consider diversified BTC strategy

- Engage with policy & financial institutions

- Understand the macro landscape before making moves