Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, has been influenced by remarks from presidential candidate Donald Trump regarding the U.S. developing a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Patronis has expressed interest in redirecting state pension funds to explore investment opportunities in cryptocurrency, asserting that such moves could enhance the financial resilience of state workers’ retirement portfolios.

In the push for this initiative, Patronis indicated that the investment group managing Florida’s pension funds should assess the potential impacts of cryptocurrencies on their investment strategies, which he heralds as necessary to stay competitive with other states that have already started this shift.

"I believe this forethought and innovative thinking from a successful businessman like President Trump must not be taken for granted," stated Patronis, advocating for a diversified financial approach that includes Bitcoin, often referred to as 'digital gold.'

Patronis’s motivation stems from Trump’s statements made at a Bitcoin conference, where he suggested that a government-backed Bitcoin reserve might be viable.