U.S. moves closer to expanding its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

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U.S. moves closer to Bitcoin reserve

Bitcoin could not be sold for 20 years

One of the key provisions of H.R. 8957 requires Bitcoin placed in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to be held for at least 20 years. During that period, it could not be sold, exchanged, auctioned or otherwise disposed of.

The bill also requires federal agencies to conduct a full accounting of the digital assets under their control. To improve transparency, the Treasury would have to publish quarterly reserve reports, verify control over the relevant private keys and undergo independent audits.

In addition, the authorities would be required to study ways to expand the Bitcoin reserve without additional budget spending, tax increases or higher government debt. A separate provision would allow U.S. states to place their Bitcoin in custody with the Federal Reserve System.

The bill also affirms the right of private owners to self-custody Bitcoin and control their own private keys. The legislation links this principle to financial sovereignty, privacy and the protection of private property.

Bitcoin Policy Institute Executive Director Connor Brown called the committee’s decision a “genuinely historic step” for U.S. Bitcoin policy. Strive CEO Matt Cole had previously described H.R. 8957 as one of the most significant cryptocurrency bills being considered in Washington.

Approval by the committee does not yet mean the bill has become law. It must now pass the full House of Representatives, then the Senate, before it can be sent to the U.S. president for signature.

From a campaign promise to an executive order

Donald Trump first publicly proposed creating a government Bitcoin stockpile during his presidential campaign. On July 27, 2024, at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, he pledged that, if elected, the U.S. would stop selling seized Bitcoin and instead create a “strategic national Bitcoin stockpile.” Under his plan, the reserve would initially consist of BTC already held by the federal government.

After returning to the White House, Trump began implementing the idea. On January 23, 2025, he directed a special working group to study the creation of a national digital asset stockpile, and on March 6 he signed a separate executive order establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The reserve is intended to hold Bitcoin seized by the government, while the order prohibits the sale of BTC placed in the reserve and allows the Treasury to explore ways to increase its holdings without additional costs to taxpayers.

Earlier, a dispute emerged within the Trump administration over control of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

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