Treasury to Retain Seized Bitcoin in National Reserve
- U.S. Treasury policy change involves retaining seized Bitcoin BTC +0.54% .
- Scott Bessent confirms shift at January 2026 Davos event.
- Long-term reserve strategy impacts traditional auction practices.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the government’s policy to add seized Bitcoin to its digital asset reserve, revealed at a news conference in Davos on January 20, 2026.
This policy shift impacts the market by reducing sales of seized Bitcoin, potentially altering supply dynamics and reinforcing Bitcoin’s status as a strategic national asset.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed a policy shift to retain seized Bitcoin as part of the national digital asset reserve. This classifies Bitcoin as a strategic asset, akin to gold.
Bessent announced this during a news conference in Davos, emphasizing the policy to halt sales of seized Bitcoin and add it to the national reserve. This stops auctioning through the U.S. Marshals Service.
The decision signifies a transformative impact on the cryptocurrency market, particularly affecting Bitcoin’s supply dynamics traditionally influenced by U.S. auctioning practices.
Financial experts anticipate potential long-term benefits for the national reserve, although affected by challenges in regulation and valuation of digital assets. The lack of open-market purchases remains notable.
Following legal procedures, seized assets will join the reserve, promoting Bitcoin’s status as a long-term strategic asset. The retention move removes immediate supply concerns, potentially affecting market volatility.
Experts view this policy as aligning with historical trends of treating Bitcoin as a reserve asset, paralleling other national reserves holding gold. This strategic accumulation inadvertently affects BTC liquidity and industry perceptions globally.
Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary, “The policy of this government is to add seized Bitcoin to our digital asset reserve after the damages are done.”
