U.S. Congress Proposes Bill for Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile

Key Insights:

• The bill mandates the Treasury to assess the feasibility, custody, cybersecurity, legal authority, etc. of having a Bitcoin reserve in place.
• The move comes as several countries, including Kazakhstan and the Philippines, explore their own Bitcoin reserves.
• The U.S. is currently the largest reported state holder with 198,021 BTC, most seized from criminal activities.

On September 8, the US Congress introduced a bill asking the US Treasury to explore the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The Treasury needs to report on the viability and technical aspects of having such a digital assets stockpile, approved by US President Donald Trump, earlier this year. BTC price is again showing signs of recovery while moving past the crucial support levels of $112,000.

US Lawmaker Pushes Bitcoin Reserve Bill

Last Friday, Representative David P. Joyce introduced a new House appropriations bill, directing the Treasury Department to deliver a detailed report on the federal government’s handling of digital assets within 90 days of enactment.

The report from the Treasury should cover feasibility, legal authority, custody arrangements, and cybersecurity measures for digital assets held by the government. Moreover, it also required the Treasury to outline plans for interagency transfers, accounting treatment on the federal balance sheet, and the role of third-party custodians. In addition, the department must assess potential implementation challenges and the impact on the Treasury Forfeiture Fund.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump signed the executive order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a digital asset stockpile in March. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the agency is exploring “budget-neutral pathways” to expand the Bitcoin reserve.

With the latest push by Joyce, the bill proceeds to the full House for consideration. If approved, it will move to the Senate. Speaking on this development, he said:

Several Countries Exploring Bitcoin Reserve

With the Trump administration’s push for crypto, several countries worldwide have started exploring the option of building their own Bitcoin reserve. On Monday, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined new plans for artificial intelligence and digital asset initiatives. This includes the creation of a strategic crypto reserve.

During his annual address, Tokayev urged the government to establish a “full-fledged ecosystem of digital assets as soon as possible”. He also called this effort part of a broader strategy to “find effective ways to maximize the return of bank money to the economy.”

In August, the Philippines’ Congress weighed a proposal to establish a strategic reserve of 10,000 Bitcoin, a move that could make the country the first in Southeast Asia to adopt Bitcoin as a strategic asset.

According to data from Bitbo, governments worldwide currently hold more than 517,000 BTC in their reserves, representing about 2.46% of Bitcoin’s total supply.

The US Crypto Stash

The U.S. government reportedly holds 198,021 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $22.3 billion, making it the largest state holder of BTC globally. Most of these assets were accumulated through seizures linked to criminal Bitcoin cases.

In addition to BTC, the government controls a sizeable altcoin portfolio. This includes 60,000 Ethereum (ETH), 40,293 Binance Coin (BNB), and tens of millions spread across other digital assets.

Conflicting reports suggest, however, that the actual Bitcoin holdings may be closer to 28,988 BTC. The latest disclosures will shed light on the true scale of the U.S. crypto reserves.

The Donald Trump administration has taken several pro-crypto measures since taking charge of White House in January 2025. In fact, the Trump family is involved in key crypto projects in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, such as World Liberty Financial.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and provides no financial, investment, or other advice. The author or any people mentioned in this article are not responsible for any financial loss that may occur from investing in or trading. Please do your research before making any financial decisions.