President Trump signed an executive order Thursday establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, marking a significant change in U.S. digital asset policy.
White House Crypto and AI Czar David Sacks stated on X that the reserve will be funded solely through bitcoin seized in criminal and civil forfeiture cases, ensuring no taxpayer money is used. Trump’s order requires a comprehensive review of federal digital asset holdings and prohibits the sale of bitcoin from the reserve, designating it as a long-term store of value.
The executive order also creates a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile, overseen by the Treasury Department, to manage other confiscated cryptocurrencies. Concerns arose among some crypto investors after Trump indicated that assets beyond bitcoin—including ether, XRP, Solana’s SOL, and Cardano’s ADA—would be included in a strategic crypto reserve.
Sacks hailed the decision as a crucial step in establishing the U.S. as the “crypto capital of the world.” He previously noted that the government lost over $17 billion in potential value by selling seized bitcoin too soon. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick will lead further policy development, with a focus on acquiring bitcoin through budget-neutral strategies.
