US government holds about $20 billion in Bitcoin and Ether
The US government is sitting on approximately 306,790 BTC and 17,430 ETH, worth about $20.28 billion, according to recent data.
The US government's crypto portfolio consists of roughly 306,790 Bitcoin and 17,430 Ether, valued at approximately $20.28 billion. Onchain analytics platforms Onchain Lens and Arkham Intelligence put the figures slightly higher, tracking about 306,795 BTC worth around $20.48 billion and 17,432 ETH worth approximately $33 million.
Origins of holdings
The government acquired these digital assets primarily through criminal and civil forfeitures. The most significant source is the 2016 Bitfinex hack, which delivered more than 94,000 BTC to federal authorities—nearly a third of the current Bitcoin holding. Another major source was the Silk Road marketplace, a darknet bazaar whose seized coins became one of the government's earliest crypto windfalls.
The portfolio also includes smaller amounts of other digital assets like WBNB, USDC, and USDT, spread across 623 labeled addresses. The total crypto portfolio is valued between $20.57 billion and $20.7 billion.
Reserve policy changes
For years, the government auctioned off seized coins. This approach changed in March 2025 with an executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, directing forfeited Bitcoin to be held indefinitely as a reserve asset rather than sold. A separate US Digital Asset Stockpile was created for non-Bitcoin holdings.
The federal Bitcoin holding is so large that each $1,000 swing in the coin's price shifts the portfolio's value by roughly $300 million.
Market implications
Recent activity included roughly $1 billion in BTC moving to Coinbase Prime custody addresses, though these movements appear consistent with custody management rather than disposal. No sales of Bitcoin have been confirmed under the current policy.
Investors should watch for any sign that the reserve policy might be softened or reversed, whether new forfeitures continue adding to the holdings, and how the government manages its non-Bitcoin assets in the Digital Asset Stockpile, which follows a separate framework.
Related
