President Trump signed an executive order on March 6, 2025, establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the United States Digital Asset Stockpile. This marks the first formal acknowledgment by the federal government of Bitcoin’s “strategic importance” as a national asset.
The executive order designates Bitcoin as a unique store of value in the global financial system, comparing it to “digital gold” due to its capped supply of 21 million coins and strong security record. The administration argues that establishing a national Bitcoin reserve provides a strategic advantage in the evolving digital asset landscape.
Under the order, the Secretary of the Treasury will establish an office to administer the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which will be capitalized with Bitcoin acquired through civil and criminal asset forfeitures. Notably, these Bitcoin holdings cannot be sold and must be maintained as reserve assets for meeting governmental objectives. The Treasury and Commerce Departments are also tasked with developing budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional Bitcoin without imposing costs on taxpayers.
Concurrently, the order creates the United States Digital Asset Stockpile for managing all non-Bitcoin digital assets obtained through forfeitures. Unlike the Bitcoin reserve, the government is prohibited from acquiring additional non-Bitcoin cryptocurrencies except through forfeitures or penalties.
The order imposes significant restrictions on the disposition of government-held digital assets. Agency heads are generally prohibited from selling these assets except in specific circumstances, such as returning them to crime victims, using them for law enforcement operations or sharing them with state and local law enforcement partners.
All federal agencies must provide a full accounting of their digital asset holdings within 30 days, and the Treasury Department must deliver an evaluation of legal and investment considerations for managing these new reserves within 60 days.
This executive order represents a dramatic shift in U.S. cryptocurrency policy. By treating Bitcoin as a strategic national asset rather than merely a speculative investment or potential threat, the administration has positioned the United States to compete in what some observers have called a “digital currency arms race” among nation-states. The long-term implications for cryptocurrency markets, federal monetary policy, and international finance remain to be seen as implementation proceeds.
In what may be related stories:
- World Liberty Financial, the new crypto platform in which President Donald Trump holds a financial stake, announced that it was unveiling a strategic token reserve designed to bolster Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies “that are at the forefront of reshaping global finance.”
- The Trump family’s holdings include a majority stake in Trump Media & Technology Group, a social-media-and-streaming company that announced it was pivoting into financial services tied to crypto.
- The president, in January, launched his $Trump meme coin.