Bitcoin and Gold Could Be Central Bank Reserve Assets by 2030 — Deutsche Bank Report

• Bitcoin’s record year and deepening institutional adoption are driving its evolution from speculative asset to credible global reserve contender.
• Central banks may soon hold both gold and Bitcoin as structural safeguards against inflation, currency risk, and geopolitical instability.

Deutsche Bank projected that Gold and Bitcoin could both appear on central bank balance sheets before the end of the decade. The forecast was part of its latest report, “Gold’s reign, Bitcoin’s rise.”

The report highlighted 2025 as a record year for both assets. Bitcoin surpassed $123,500 in August and nearly $125,000 in October, while gold climbed about 50% since January and was expected to reach $4,000 an ounce by December. 

The bank attributed the surge to weakening confidence in the U.S. dollar, ongoing geopolitical tension, and expanding institutional interest in alternative stores of value. The report said,

Institutional and Government Adoption Expands

Bitcoin’s global market capitalization crossed $2.2 trillion by October 2025, helped by the approval of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US earlier in 2024. The report described this milestone as a major step in boosting liquidity and expanding institutional access to the crypto market.

According to Bank findings, companies have been steadily increasing their Bitcoin holdings since 2020. MicroStrategy leads the list, and corporate purchases have now surpassed those made by governments. As of September 2025, government entities collectively held about 517,000 Bitcoin, making up roughly 2.46% of the total 21 million supply. 

The United States led with 198,021 BTC valued at $24.8 billion, followed by China with 190,000 BTC. Bhutan and El Salvador were among the smaller holders, with approximately 6,300 BTC each.

The report also noted that the “U.S. Bitcoin Act,” proposed in early 2025, includes a plan to create a strategic reserve holding up to one million bitcoin, representing about 5% of the total supply.

Volatility Falls as Bitcoin Gains Legitimacy

Deutsche Bank said Bitcoin’s volatility has dropped sharply, with its 90-day measure falling to 26% in October 2025, even as the price hit record highs. Analysts said this new level of stability strengthens Bitcoin’s case as a potential reserve asset.

They compared the rise of cryptocurrency to gold’s evolution from a speculative commodity to a trusted store of value. In their view, both have moved from high volatility toward broader institutional adoption. 

Trading data supported that trend. Bitcoin’s daily transactions averaged about 444,000, and the asset represented over 58% of the global crypto market capitalization by late 2025.

The bank concluded that global reserves could be reconfigured within five years. The analysts wrote, 

They suggest that the combination of a weakening dollar, inflation concerns, and geopolitical instability may prompt central banks to diversify. While neither gold nor Bitcoin is expected to fully replace the US dollar, Deutsche Bank said that both could serve as complementary diversifiers. 

At the time of publication, Bitcoin traded near $121,838, about 3.45% shy of its all-time high. Predictions for Bitcoin’s future remain ambitious. In April 2025, ARK Invest predicted that if Bitcoin becomes a global reserve asset, its price could reach around $1.5 million by the end of this decade. 

Recently, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong shared a similar view in an interview with Fox Business. He said that if Bitcoin adoption continues at the current pace, its price could hit $1 million per coin by 2030.