Former Norwegian finance official becomes secretary general of Bitcoin Policy Institute to promote open legislation and public awareness

According to Norwegian financial media E24, Morten Søberg, former State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and member of the Norwegian Central Bank's Supervisory Committee, will serve as Secretary General of the newly established Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) in August 2025. This move marks that the discussion of Bitcoin in the Norwegian policy circle is gradually moving from the margins to the mainstream.

The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) is committed to opposing restrictive regulation, promoting legislative openness, and enhancing the public's understanding of Bitcoin, monetary systems, and financial sovereignty as its core mission. The institution is positioned as a cross-party, decentralized research and advocacy platform, and plans to reshape the policy positioning of Bitcoin in the Nordic region through policy recommendations, public education, and industry dialogue.

Søberg is currently the head of public affairs at SpareBank 1, a large Norwegian financial institution, and has extensive policy experience and financial background. He served as State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Finance and participated in the governance and supervision of the central bank. He is considered an important bridge between the country's financial and political circles.

Civilian forces are rising, and BPI is taking shape

Although it is just getting started, BPI has received initial support. So far, the institute has received donations of about 1,517 bitcoins (equivalent to about 1.6 million Norwegian kroner) and attracted 121 paying members to join, showing the urgent need of the Bitcoin community for a policy platform in a high-tax, high-regulatory environment.

In an interview, Solberg said: "Bitcoin is not only a technological innovation, but also a deep reflection on the modern monetary system. The establishment of BPI will provide policymakers with more dimensional perspectives and open a window for the public to understand the future of currency."

Bitcoin policy focus shifts to Northern Europe

As a high-welfare country, Norway has always been cautious about cryptocurrency policies. However, as discussions on Bitcoin in energy, storage, and anti-inflation continue to heat up, private advocacy organizations including BPI have begun to try to gain a more friendly regulatory space for Bitcoin. Industry insiders believe that Solberg's joining will help Bitcoin gain higher-level policy dialogue opportunities at the legislative level.