CREATING A STRATEGIC BITCOIN RESERVE AND DIGITAL ASSET STOCKPILE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile, positioning the United States as a leader among nations in government digital asset strategy.
- The Order creates a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve that will treat bitcoin as a reserve asset.
- The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve will be capitalized with bitcoin owned by the Department of Treasury that was forfeited as part of criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings. Other agencies will evaluate their legal authority to transfer any bitcoin owned by those agencies to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
- The United States will not sell bitcoin deposited into this Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which will be maintained as a store of reserve assets.
- The Secretaries of Treasury and Commerce are authorized to develop budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional bitcoin, provided that those strategies impose no incremental costs on American taxpayers.
- It also established a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile, consisting of digital assets other than bitcoin owned by the Department of Treasury that was forfeited in criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings.
- The government will not acquire additional assets for the U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile beyond those obtained through forfeiture proceedings.
- The Secretary of the Treasury may determine strategies for responsible stewardship, including potential sales from the U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile.
- Agencies must provide a full accounting of their digital asset holdings to the Secretary of the Treasury and the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets.
- This Order ensures a strategic approach to managing digital assets under U.S. control.
ADDRESSING A CRYPTO MANAGEMENT GAP:
- Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency, is referred to as “digital gold” because of its scarcity and security, having never been hacked.
- With a fixed supply of 21 million coins, there is a strategic advantage to being among the first nations to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
- The United States currently holds a significant amount of bitcoin but has not maximized its strategic position as a unique store of value in the global financial system.
- Premature sales of bitcoin have already cost U.S. taxpayers over $17 billion.
- The Executive Order begins to resolve the current disjointed handling of cryptocurrencies seized through forfeiture by, and scattered across, various Federal agencies.
- Currently, no clear policy exists for managing these assets, leading to a lack of accountability and inadequate exploration of options to centralize, secure, or maximize their value.
- Taking affirmative steps to centralize ownership, control, and management of these assets within the Federal government will ensure proper oversight, accurate tracking, and a cohesive approach to managing the government’s cryptocurrency holdings.
- This move harnesses the power of digital assets for national prosperity, rather than letting them languish in limbo.
DELIVERING ON PLEDGE TO MAKE AMERICA THE CRYPTO CAPITAL OF THE WORLD: President Trump is fulfilling his promise to position America as the global leader in cryptocurrency.
- President Trump promised to make the United States the “crypto capital of the world,” emphasizing the need to embrace digital assets to drive economic growth and technological leadership.
- In his first week in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order to promote United States leadership in digital assets such as cryptocurrency.
- President Trump has consistently advocated for a forward-thinking approach to crypto, stating: “I am very positive and open minded to cryptocurrency companies, and all things related to this new and burgeoning industry. Our country must be the leader in the field.”
- President Trump promised to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a Digital Assets Stockpile.
- President Trump appointed a “crypto czar” and is hosting the first-ever crypto summit at the White House, just a few of the many ways this Administration is demonstrating its strong commitment to this digital asset.
