US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order creating a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” and a “Digital Asset Stockpile.” These new reserves will initially be funded by cryptocurrency seized in government criminal cases.
The announcement was made by White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks on March 7, who described The Reserve as a ‘digital Fort Knox for the cryptocurrency often called “digital gold.”’
According to the official fact sheet from the White House, the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve will be stocked with Bitcoin forfeited in criminal or civil asset forfeiture cases. Importantly, Bitcoins from this reserve will not be sold but held as a store of value.
The Treasury Department will supply the Bitcoin to seed the reserve, and other federal agencies will evaluate their legal authority to contribute. Plans are also in place to buy more Bitcoin without additional costs to taxpayers.
Additionally, a “U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile” will hold cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin, though it will only include assets obtained through forfeiture, not new purchases. While Trump initially mentioned assets like XRP, Solana, and Cardano, the U.S. government’s current holdings are primarily Bitcoin, followed by Ethereum and Tether.
The executive order requires a full audit of all digital assets that belong to the government. Agencies need to submit their crypto asset details to the Treasury Secretary for complete transparency about U.S. government digital asset ownership.
The move by Trump represents a major advancement in establishing cryptocurrency as part of national governance and strategic planning.
