Establishment of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and United States Digital Asset Stockpile
The order establishes a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve — holding all government-held bitcoin (BTC) seized through federal forfeiture proceedings — and a separate United States Digital Asset Stockpile for all other forfeited digital assets, directing the Treasury Department to build custodial offices for both and prohibiting the sale of government BTC.
It marks the first time the federal government has formally treated bitcoin as a long-term strategic reserve asset, akin to gold, rather than disposing of seized cryptocurrency through routine sales.
What this order does
What it orders
The order directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish two new custodial structures: a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, capitalized with all BTC the federal government holds from criminal and civil asset forfeiture proceedings, and a United States Digital Asset Stockpile, holding all other forfeited digital assets. BTC deposited into the Reserve may not be sold and must be maintained as a permanent reserve asset. The Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Commerce are also directed to develop budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional BTC for the Reserve.
Agencies are prohibited from selling or disposing of any government digital assets except in narrow circumstances — returning assets to crime victims, supporting law enforcement operations, sharing with state or local partners, or satisfying specific statutory obligations. The government may not acquire additional non-BTC digital assets without further executive or legislative action. A 60-day Treasury evaluation will assess the legal and investment framework needed to fully operationalize both structures, including whether legislation is required.
Who it affects
All federal executive departments and agencies holding forfeited digital assets, the Department of the Treasury (which administers both custodial structures), the Department of Commerce (which co-develops BTC acquisition strategies), and the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets.
Why it matters
The federal government, which accumulates bitcoin through criminal seizures, is now barred from selling those holdings and must treat them as a permanent strategic asset. This locks in government bitcoin holdings and could influence global perceptions of bitcoin's legitimacy as a reserve asset, affecting crypto markets and future U.S. fiscal and monetary policy debates.
What must happen and when
How the order is supposed to work
Each agency first audits and reports its digital asset holdings to Treasury within 30 days, then reviews its authority to transfer them. BTC flows to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve; all other forfeited digital assets flow to the Digital Asset Stockpile. Treasury's 60-day legal and investment evaluation determines where accounts should be held and whether congressional action is needed. Disposal of holdings is blocked by this order except for court orders, crime-victim restitution, law enforcement use, or specific statutory obligations — giving Treasury the role of gatekeeper for any release.
Actions and deadlines
- Each agency reviews its authorities to transfer held government BTC to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and submits a report to the Secretary of the Treasury
- Each agency reviews its authorities to transfer held Stockpile Assets to the United States Digital Asset Stockpile and submits a report to the Secretary of the Treasury
- Each agency head provides a full accounting of all government digital assets to the Secretary of the Treasury and the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets
- Secretary of the Treasury delivers an evaluation of the legal and investment considerations for establishing and managing the Reserve and Stockpile, including any need for legislation
- Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Commerce develop budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional government BTC