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Vancouver City Staff Moves to Kill Bitcoin Reserve Plan Over Legal Barriers

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Nexo Partners with Bakkt for US Crypto Exchange and Yield Programs

TLDR:

  • Vancouver city staff found Bitcoin is not an allowable investment asset under the Vancouver Charter.
  • Mayor Ken Sim’s November 2024 motion sought to protect city reserves from inflation using Bitcoin funds.
  • British Columbia’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs cited undue risk in barring local governments from holding crypto.
  • Bitcoin dropped nearly 50% from its all-time high of $126,000, reinforcing provincial caution over crypto holdings.

Vancouver city staff has recommended that the city council rescind a motion to establish a Bitcoin reserve. A legal review concluded that cryptocurrency does not qualify as an allowable investment asset under provincial law.

Vancouver Charter Bars Bitcoin as a Reserve Asset

A formal report was recently submitted to the Vancouver City Council by city staff. The document outlined a clear recommendation to scrap the reserve motion entirely.

Staff determined that the Vancouver Charter does not permit Bitcoin as an investment vehicle for the city. The Charter is the provincial statute governing city operations in British Columbia.

The report was direct in its conclusion. “Staff has conclusively determined that under the Vancouver Charter, Bitcoin is not an allowable investment asset for the City, and therefore recommends that this work be concluded,” the document stated.

Beyond the legal issue, staff also pointed to the need to reprioritize internal resources. Coordination with other ongoing city programs further supported the recommendation to end this work.

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The Ministry of Municipal Affairs of British Columbia had previously addressed this matter directly. The ministry confirmed that local governments across the province are barred from holding cryptocurrency in reserve.

Officials cited exposure to undue risk as the core concern behind this restriction. That position from the province aligned closely with the findings in the staff report.

The Vancouver City Council had formally approved the motion in December 2024. Staff received direction to assess the proposal’s feasibility and return with findings by Q1 2025.

Despite the deadline passing, no report was publicly released until earlier this week. The delay raised questions about the transparency of the review process.

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Mayor’s Bitcoin Initiative Faces Legal and Financial Setbacks

The motion was originally brought forward in November 2024 by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim. It aimed to diversify the city’s financial reserves and shield its purchasing power from inflation.

Sim openly called Bitcoin “the greatest invention in human history” while presenting the proposal. That statement drew both widespread attention and scrutiny from various observers at the time.

As part of the broader initiative, Sim pledged to personally donate $10,000 worth of Bitcoin to the city. The proposal also sought to allocate a portion of municipal funds directly into the cryptocurrency.

The stated purpose was to protect the city’s finances against inflation and long-term market volatility. However, those ambitions have now been formally halted by legal constraints.

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Bitcoin’s recent price history added another layer of concern to this debate. Since late 2024, the cryptocurrency reached an all-time high exceeding $126,000 before falling sharply.

It declined nearly 50%, dropping to lows near $63,000 over roughly four months. That level of volatility strengthened the provincial government’s caution about municipal crypto holdings.

At the time of reporting, Bitcoin was trading at approximately $70,534. The sharp price movements since late 2024 reinforced concerns from both city staff and provincial authorities.

The staff report, backed by the Vancouver Charter, appears to mark the end of the city’s crypto reserve ambitions.

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Crypto World

Bitcoin Traders Bet On Sub-$66K BTC In April Due To Rising Fear

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Bitcoin Traders Bet On Sub-$66K BTC In April Due To Rising Fear

Key takeaways:

  • Bearish sentiment is rising as Bitcoin options professional traders lose confidence that the $66,000 level will hold for long.

  • The exit of David Sacks as the Crypto and AI czar and a lack of a clear US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve plan added to investors’ doubts.

Bitcoin (BTC) fell to $65,530 on Friday, an 8% decline from the $71,300 level seen on Thursday. This move wiped out over $210 million in leveraged bullish Bitcoin futures and left most call (buy) options worthless during the $18.6 billion monthly expiry. Traders now anticipate a 53% chance that Bitcoin will stay below $66,000 by April 24.

April 24 Bitcoin option prices at Deribit. Source: Deribit

On Friday, the April 24 Bitcoin $66,000 put (sell) options traded at 0.0566 BTC or roughly $3,730. With a 53% implied probability of Bitcoin trading below $66,000 by late April, the mood remains decidedly bearish following the increased uncertainty in the US and Israel-Iran war, pushing traders into a risk-averse mode.

US inflation threats and stalling crypto, Bitcoin legislation

Rising oil prices and a potential $200 billion in extra US military spending led investors to demand higher returns on government bonds and dragged the S&P 500 to its lowest levels since September 2025. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil surged to $100 on Friday, while 5-year Treasury yields reached 4.07%, up from 3.72% three weeks prior.

US 5-year Treasury yield (left) vs. S&P 500 (right). Source: TradingView

Inflationary fear and weaker corporate earnings perspectives alone cannot explain Bitcoin’s 20% underperformance against the S&P 500 in 2026. Other factors are likely at play, including investors’ discomfort over the lack of progress on the US Bitcoin Strategic Reserve.

David Sacks has stepped down from his role as the Trump administration’s crypto and AI czar. While Sacks remains an advisor on the President’s Council on Science & Technology, his departure follows earlier comments that inflated Bitcoin investors’ expectations. Sacks had previously hinted that the US could acquire more Bitcoin through budget-neutral methods without raising taxes.

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Related: US lawmakers publish crypto tax proposal without Bitcoin tax exemption

Bitcoin 30-day options delta skew (put-call) at Deribit. Source: Laevitas

The Bitcoin options delta skew jumped to 15% on Friday, showing that put options are trading at a significant premium relative to call instruments. In balanced market conditions, this metric usually ranges between -6% and +6%. The current level indicates a lack of conviction among whales that the $66,000 level will hold. Fear has largely dominated the Bitcoin options market since mid-January.

Bitcoin options expiry favored neutral-to-bearish strategies

Friday’s monthly options expiry at $68,610 proved unfavorable for neutral-to-bullish strategies, as 97% of call options became void. Bears gained the upper hand as put options at $69,000 or higher surpassed $2 billion in open interest. Critically, part of Friday’s downward move reflects a growing unwillingness among traders to maintain Bitcoin exposure over the weekend.

Crypto markets cut risk on Friday due to uncertainty. Source: X/WhalePanda

X social platform user WhalePanda, suggested that the crash in risk markets anticipates President Trump making “another dumb escalating move” after US markets close. Consequently, the current fear seen in the options market could reverse if no major geopolitical events occur before Monday.

During bearish cycles, traders often rush for the exits at the mere sight of any event that could be deemed negative. Investors should not take Bitcoin’s implied odds at face value, as these metrics are heavily impacted by recent news and headlines. However, expectations could shift more favorably if Iran effectively releases a counter-offer to the US peace proposal.