During a press briefing on March 7, ahead of the inaugural White House Crypto Summit, a senior official revealed that the United States government currently holds approximately 200,000 Bitcoin as part of its strategic reserve.
“We estimate that around 200,000 Bitcoin remain in our possession, and these are being placed in the strategic reserve to ensure a long-term approach to maximizing their value,” the official stated.
The US government reportedly acquired nearly 400,000 BTC through legal seizures in various criminal and civil cases, including assets confiscated from the infamous Silk Road investigation. However, nearly half of these holdings—around 200,000 BTC—were sold over the past decade without a structured strategy.
According to the official, the absence of a long-term plan for handling Bitcoin reserves has led to a significant financial impact, costing US taxpayers an estimated $17 billion. Despite this, an audit of the government’s digital asset holdings is still scheduled to take place.
On March 6, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to formalize the establishment of a Bitcoin strategic reserve and digital asset stockpile. This decision aligns with his campaign pledge to support the crypto industry and advance the US position as a leader in digital assets.
The executive order explicitly states that the government’s Bitcoin reserves will not be sold. Additionally, it grants authority to the Treasury and Commerce secretaries to develop “budget-neutral” methods for increasing the reserve. “This reserve leverages digital assets already in government possession,” the official explained.
“If the Secretaries can devise a way to acquire additional Bitcoin without imposing any financial burden on taxpayers, they have the authority to proceed,” the official added.
The executive order differentiates between the Bitcoin strategic reserve and the digital asset stockpile. While the Bitcoin reserve allows for further accumulation, the digital asset stockpile will remain fixed.
US Government’s Crypto Holdings Valued at $18 Billion
Blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence estimates that the US government currently possesses around $18 billion in digital assets. The majority—approximately $17.6 billion—is held in Bitcoin. Other holdings include $122 million in Ethereum, $122 million in Tether (USDT), and $24 million in Binance Coin (BNB).
Most of these assets originate from legal forfeitures tied to criminal cases, with the Silk Road seizures being among the most well-known. Additionally, assets from incidents such as the Bitfinex hack contribute to the government’s crypto portfolio.
Beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, the US government also holds smaller amounts of other cryptocurrencies, including Dai (DAI), Tron (TRX), Chainlink (LINK), and Uniswap (UNI).
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