Conor McGregor and Max Keiser Urge Ireland to Embrace Bitcoin as National Reserve Strategy

In a surprising intersection of sports, finance, and national policy, UFC star Conor McGregor and longtime Bitcoin advocate Max Keiser are calling on Ireland to create a strategic national Bitcoin reserve. Their proposal comes amid heightened economic uncertainty and a growing global debate over the future of monetary sovereignty.

McGregor, one of Ireland’s most high-profile public figures, recently voiced his support for a Bitcoin-backed national reserve, suggesting it would “put the power of money back in the hands of the people.” He has publicly invited Keiser and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele—architects of El Salvador’s Bitcoin strategy—for a meeting aimed at bringing similar innovation to Ireland.

Keiser, a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency space and a key influencer in El Salvador’s historic Bitcoin adoption, echoed McGregor’s appeal. He proposed that Ireland invest its entire sovereign wealth fund—estimated at €114 billion—into Bitcoin, arguing that doing so could shield the nation from economic volatility and help root out systemic financial mismanagement.

“Ireland has a chance to avoid financial ruin by putting their entire €114 billion windfall into an Irish Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Fund,” Keiser said. He warned that holding fiat or traditional assets guarantees a loss of purchasing power over time, especially as more countries begin adopting Bitcoin as a hedge.

Keiser also drew comparisons to nations that failed to keep pace with transformative technologies throughout history. “It’s like gunpowder,” he noted. “If you don’t embrace the power of gunpowder, be prepared to be taken over by countries that do.”

Ireland is currently in the process of building a sovereign wealth fund, driven largely by corporate tax receipts and economic surpluses. McGregor and Keiser’s proposal to anchor that fund in Bitcoin is not yet under official consideration, but it taps into a broader global conversation about how nations can maintain monetary independence in a shifting financial landscape.

While Ireland has not indicated any immediate move toward Bitcoin adoption, the rising interest in digital assets as part of national strategy continues to attract attention from high-profile individuals and institutions alike.