How much Bitcoin does the US government own?
The US government holds approximately 198,012 BTC in its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. This Bitcoin was acquired entirely through criminal and civil forfeitures, not purchased with taxpayer funds. The major sources include Silk Road seizures (69,370 BTC), the Bitfinex hack recovery (94,643 BTC), the James Zhong fraud case (51,680 BTC), and various other enforcement actions (12,319 BTC). The government previously sold approximately 195,000 BTC between 2014 and 2023 for roughly $366 million.
What is the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve?
The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is a US government-held stockpile of Bitcoin, established by executive order signed by President Trump on March 6, 2025. It is capitalized with approximately 198,012 BTC obtained through criminal forfeitures. The reserve is administered by the Treasury Department, and the executive order explicitly prohibits any sales from the reserve. A separate Digital Asset Stockpile was created for non-Bitcoin cryptocurrencies including Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano.
Will the US government buy more Bitcoin?
The executive order authorizes "budget-neutral" Bitcoin acquisition strategies, meaning the government can explore ways to acquire more Bitcoin without direct taxpayer funding. Senator Cynthia Lummis has introduced the BITCOIN Act (S.954) proposing the purchase of 1 million BTC over 5 years (200,000 per year), funded through revaluation of Federal Reserve gold certificates. Bo Hines, the White House Digital Assets Director, has also proposed selling US gold reserves to fund Bitcoin purchases.
Can the US government sell its Bitcoin reserve?
No. The executive order signed on March 6, 2025 explicitly states that no Bitcoin in the Strategic Reserve may be sold. The reserve is intended to function as a permanent store of value, similar to the nation's gold reserves at Fort Knox. Only a new executive order or an act of Congress could reverse this policy. This "no-sell" mandate was established after the government realized it had sold ~195,000 BTC for just $366 million — worth over $13 billion at current prices.
Where did the government's Bitcoin come from?
All Bitcoin in the Strategic Reserve came from criminal and civil forfeiture proceedings. The largest source is the 2022 Bitfinex hack recovery (94,643 BTC), the largest DOJ crypto seizure at the time. Silk Road marketplace seizures contributed 69,370 BTC across multiple operations from 2013-2022. The James Zhong case added 51,680 BTC (he defrauded Silk Road of 50,000+ BTC). The remaining 12,319 BTC came from various DOJ, FBI, and IRS criminal enforcement actions between 2023-2025.
What is the BITCOIN Act and what would it do?
The BITCOIN Act (Boosting Innovation, Technology, and Competitiveness through Optimized Investment Nationwide) is legislation introduced by Senator Cynthia Lummis as S.954 in the Senate and H.R. 2032 in the House. It proposes the US purchase 1 million BTC over 5 years (200,000 BTC per year), approximately 4.76% of total Bitcoin supply. The holdings would be kept for a minimum of 20 years, funded through revaluation of Fed gold certificates and Treasury remittances, and stored in a decentralized cold storage network across the United States.
How much Bitcoin did the US sell before creating the reserve?
Between 2014 and 2023, the US government auctioned off approximately 195,000 BTC from earlier seizures for roughly $366 million total. At current Bitcoin prices, that same Bitcoin would be worth over $13 billion, making it one of the most costly asset liquidation decisions in US government history. The creation of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve with its no-sale mandate was partly motivated by preventing such losses from happening again.
Which US states have their own Bitcoin reserves?
As of early 2026, three US states have signed Bitcoin reserve legislation into law: New Hampshire (HB 302, signed May 2025, allows up to 5% of state funds in Bitcoin), Texas (S.B. 21, signed June 2025, accepts BTC donations and tax payments), and Arizona (HB 2749, signed July 2025, redirects unclaimed property into digital assets). Oklahoma and Utah have passed bills through committee, Pennsylvania has introduced legislation, while Wyoming and North Dakota had their bills fail.
How does the US Bitcoin reserve compare to other countries?
The United States holds the largest known government Bitcoin reserve globally at 198,012 BTC. The United Kingdom holds approximately 61,245 BTC from criminal seizures, though courts have ordered sales of some. Ukraine holds about 46,351 BTC, mostly used for defense funding. China reportedly seized 15,000 BTC from the PlusToken case. Bhutan holds about 9,969 BTC from hydroelectric mining operations, and El Salvador holds about 6,274 BTC from direct government purchases through its 1 BTC/day buying program. Germany sold all 50,000 BTC of its seized holdings in July 2024.