Anatoly Yakovenko, Solana co-founder opposes the U.S. government’s suggestion to create a national cryptocurrency reserve. His perspective indicates that this goes against the principle of decentralization, which blockchain depends upon. The risks of centralization, together with reduced autonomy in digital assets, represent Anatoly Yakovenko’s main concerns.
Yakovenko explains that creating a national crypto reserve stands against decentralization of blockchain operations. Government administration over such assets threatens both security and freedom to manage finances. According to Yakovenko, making such a reserve might crush innovation and move control from crypto enthusiasts to authorities.
Decentralization: Blockchain’s core principle
Blockchain relies on independent systems. Cryptography-based finance follows direct sharing systems that provide clear and secure operations. Implementing a cryptocurrency reserve by a government regulatory body threatens the independent blockchain structure. The regulations may limit financial independence, cryptocurrency resistance to censorship, and central authority interference. According to Yakovenko, the disadvantages of these risks are greater than all possible advantages.
Yakovenko believes state-level reserve systems would be more effective than allowing federal control over encryption methods. Through this method, the federal government’s excessive power could be limited while enabling flexible operations which decreases centralization threats. Furthermore, he outlines specific metrics that should define eligible reserve membership. Secure valuable cryptocurrencies should become the only inclusion criteria to qualify for a reserve status. Solana possesses the standards that Bitcoin currently meets, and Yakovenko believes it can qualify for fair regulations.
The US crypto reserve proposal
The Trump administration wanted the federal government to have its own cryptocurrency holding facility. BTC, ETH, Solana (SOL), ADA, and XRP constitute the list of cryptocurrencies within this proposed national reserve. The initiative aims to deliver market stability and enhance US crypto influence worldwide.

This move sparked controversy. The reports indicated that Ripple approached Solana with the aim to validate its XRP model. Yakovenko together with other individuals refused to admit any involvement in backing activities. The way candidates were selected caused people to question the decision-making process.
A single national cryptocurrency reserve threatens blockchain freedom. Government oversight can introduce favoritism in selection processes, which picks select cryptocurrencies over others for inclusion. The exercise of control over markets through this mechanism would damage investor trust by distorting market value systems. The increased oversight applied to decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms would reduce their operational freedom, thus affecting their ability to function.
Yakovenko warns that government intervention could erode independent systems and restrict crypto’s original purpose. Furthermore, he stresses the importance of decentralization. While stability matters, government control could harm the crypto space. The debate continues, with a need for a neutral approach that ensures security without ria decentralization.