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September 28, 2025
September 27, 2025

The Bitcoin Reserve Race How Nation States Are Entering the Suddenly Phase of Adoption

Nation-states are on the cusp of a new wave of Bitcoin adoption, according to Jan3 founder Samson Mow, who believes governments worldwide are moving from the “gradually” stage of experimentation to the “suddenly” stage of accelerated integration.

Speaking on the What Bitcoin Did podcast, Mow explained that adoption will likely move rapidly from cautious exploration into urgent action as governments increasingly recognise Bitcoin’s role in strategic finance. “I think we’re on the tail end of gradually, and we’re at the beginning phases of suddenly,” he remarked, noting that once momentum builds, it could ignite a domino effect of nation-state FOMO.

Strategic Bitcoin Reserves on the Horizon

Mow’s analysis comes amid growing discussion around nation-level Bitcoin reserves, particularly in light of US President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. While the order has been signed, the US has yet to begin acquisitions. Mow warned this hesitation leaves a window for other nations to front-run America, citing Pakistan as a likely candidate to make a bold move ahead of Washington.

“The risk is that the US is front-run by Pakistan,” he explained, stressing the urgency for the US to act decisively. Current data from Bitbo shows the US government sits on 198,012 BTC, already giving it significant leverage in global cryptocurrency holdings. However, inertia could allow emerging economies or strategically assertive nations to seize the initiative.

Galaxy Digital’s head of research, Alex Thorn, suggested there is still strong probability that America will formalise its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve by the end of this year — a landmark step if realised.

Latin America and the Next Frontier of Bitcoin Adoption

For Mow, Latin America remains the most exciting region to watch. A blend of economic instability, dollar dependency, and political environments increasingly open to alternatives has made the region fertile ground for sovereign Bitcoin adoption.

El Salvador remains the poster child of nation-state Bitcoin integration, yet momentum across the continent suggests more governments could follow suit. From Argentina’s economic repositioning efforts to Paraguay’s mining debates, Latin America is proving an active hotbed of blockchain developments that could accelerate further in the coming years. Sovereign adoption could also drive both blockchain recruitment and crypto regulatory frameworks across the region.

From “Gradually, Then Suddenly” to Talent Wars

Mow underscored how quickly nation-state adoption can accelerate. “These things happen very quickly,” he said, adding that once a handful of countries step into Bitcoin reserves, others may face a panic situation akin to major FOMO.

This anticipated surge raises important questions for web3 recruitment and crypto talent acquisition globally. Governments establishing Bitcoin reserves will need expertise spanning cybersecurity, asset custody, DeFi regulation, risk management, and blockchain auditing — areas already in short supply. For crypto recruiters and agencies like Spectrum Search, this means heightened demand for skilled specialists capable of navigating sovereign-level integrations.

History shows that when governments rush into technological frontiers without the required expertise, vulnerabilities can lead to costly breaches. This reinforces the growing importance of DeFi security jobs and sovereign blockchain resilience roles.

Bitcoin Cycles: Delayed Bull Runs and Strategic Timelines

Yet while nation-level adoption prepares to accelerate, Bitcoin’s price trajectory hasn’t aligned with typical cyclical expectations. Trading at $109,400 at the time of writing, BTC has dipped nearly 2% in the past month. Mow acknowledged, “We should have had a bull run already… like a massive run-up.” Instead, he believes the current cycle has been delayed and may spill over into 2026, as suggested by Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, who commented: “I bet 2026 is an up year.”

Institutional involvement through ETFs and sovereign strategies has led many to suggest Bitcoin’s four-year halving cycle framework is no longer fully applicable. The sheer scale of institutional and state engagements may instead create structural reforms in market behaviour, with geopolitical decisions outweighing traditional miner-led dynamics. This suggests that the future of recruitment will not only be driven by private-sector blockchain firms but also by state actors building Bitcoin and digital asset infrastructures internally.

The “Bitcoin Reserve Race” and Implications for Crypto Talent

Nation-state adoption will likely trigger what could become a fierce “Bitcoin Reserve Race.” Governments scrambling to secure positions may rapidly put strain on global liquidity, driving new all-time-high speculation beyond $1 million per BTC, a milestone Mow said is “a given at this point.”

For talent, this means a wave of high-stakes demand in areas including:

  • Crypto compliance officers – ensuring sovereign strategies align with global regulation.
  • Blockchain recruiters – tasked with filling specialist roles quickly in response to government initiatives.
  • Strategic Bitcoin reserve managers – positions akin to central banking leadership but in digital asset management.
  • Cybersecurity experts – with experience in combating nation-level threats, particularly as state-backed hackers grow more aggressive.
  • DeFi recruiters – focusing on governments experimenting with tokenisation and digital payments beyond reserves.

Where “Suddenly” Meets Geopolitics

Adding pressure to the accelerating race, international geopolitics now increasingly intersects with Bitcoin strategies. With the US already signalling intent through the Bitcoin Act, and states like Germany, Russia, and those in Latin America exploring reserve positioning, the battle over which government formalises reserves first is heating up. Unlike private-sector competition, these moves occur at global scale, with potential ripple effects across currency markets, strategic reserve careers, and the future of international settlements in blockchain-based systems.

For professionals in blockchain and Web3, this represents a massive opportunity: being the experts that governments and sovereign wealth bodies urgently need when Bitcoin transitions from innovation story to national backbone asset.