A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers today introduced legislation that would formally establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and create a long-term framework for managing digital assets held by the federal government.
According to the official release, the bill, called the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 (ARMA), was introduced by Nick Begich alongside co-lead sponsor Jared Golden.
ARMA bill would create treasury-managed Bitcoin reserve
The legislation would establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve within the United States Department of the Treasury and create a separate Digital Asset Stockpile for non-Bitcoin digital assets already held by federal agencies. According to the proposal, the Treasury would assume responsibility for the custody and management of digital assets acquired through seizures, forfeitures, penalties, and other lawful government actions.
Lawmakers said the goal is to centralize oversight of federal crypto holdings while creating standardized security and transparency requirements.
Bitcoin holdings would face 20-year restriction
Under the bill, Bitcoin placed into the reserve could not be sold for at least 20 years, reinforcing its role as a strategic asset rather than a short-term revenue source. The proposal also directs all federal agencies to provide a full accounting of any digital assets currently under government control.
To increase transparency, the legislation would require quarterly public proof-of-reserve reports, independent audits, and congressional oversight mechanisms.
Lawmakers say current policy lacks consistency
Begich said the United States needs a durable framework for handling digital assets as they become more integrated into the global financial system. Golden said federal agencies have historically handled seized Bitcoin inconsistently, with some administrations auctioning assets while others retained them.
“Congress has never set a federal policy on what to do with that asset,” Golden said in a statement accompanying the bill.
Supporters of the measure argue that codifying reserve policy into law would reduce uncertainty around how federal Bitcoin holdings are managed.
In addition to reserve management provisions, the ARMA bill states that the federal government may not impair the lawful right of Americans to own, transfer, or self-custody digital assets. The proposal also calls for a study into “budget-neutral acquisition strategies” that could potentially expand federal digital reserves without increasing taxes, deficit spending, or national debt obligations.
Broader push for strategic Bitcoin policy
The legislation follows growing discussion in Washington around whether Bitcoin should play a role in U.S. reserve strategy. Several lawmakers backing the bill compared Bitcoin to gold and argued that governments worldwide are paying closer attention to digital assets as part of long-term financial planning.
The measure also aligns with broader congressional efforts to establish clearer federal digital asset policies covering custody, taxation, market structure, and consumer protections.
Bipartisan support builds around reserve proposal
The bill launched with a large group of Republican co-sponsors and bipartisan backing from Golden, a Democrat. Additional supporters include Buddy Carter, Barry Moore, Burgess Owens, Mike Carey, and Pat Harrigan, among others.
The proposal now heads into the congressional review process, where lawmakers will debate whether the federal government should formally treat Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset.
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