Planned regulation of cryptocurrencies, in particular a ban on bitcoin

25.2.2022

Question for written answer  E-000809/2022
to the Commission
Rule 138
Christine Anderson (ID)

S&D, Green and Left representatives on the ECON committee have raised the issue of a ban on bitcoin[1]. In support of this, they cite the high power consumption of the proof-of-work process on which bitcoin is based.

The Commission, too, has already signalled in a reply to me[2] that it is looking into the energy consumption of bitcoin.

• 1.To what extent does the Commission back the abovementioned call for a ban on bitcoin?
• 2.To what extent is the Commission planning to promote cryptocurrency payment operations?
• 3.How does the Commission view the EU's competitiveness, compared to the rest of the world, as regards the mining, development and use of cryptocurrencies?

• [1] https://www.btc-echo.de/news/bitcoin-spd-gruene-und-linke-fordern-verbot-in-der-eu-135678/
• [2] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2021-002829-ASW_EN.html