Key Takeaways
- US seeks forfeiture of 20.2 BTC from Chaos ransomware group, valued at $2.4 million.
- Estimates of US government bitcoin holdings vary, with reported figures ranging from 28,988 to nearly 198,000 BTC.
- Only three US states—Arizona, Texas, and New Hampshire—have passed laws establishing state bitcoin reserves.
The United States has filed a civil complaint in the Northern District of Texas seeking the forfeiture of 20.2 bitcoin—valued at around $2.4 million—that were seized by the FBI’s Dallas office from an address linked to the Chaos ransomware group.
The complaint alleges these funds were derived from unlawful activity connected to ransomware attacks.
Seizure could boost national bitcoin reserve
If successful, this seizure would contribute to the proposed US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, a concept formalized in President Trump’s March 6 executive order.
The reserve is intended to be built using bitcoin confiscated via criminal or civil asset forfeiture.
To date, the Department of Justice, FBI, and other agencies have regularly seized bitcoin in connection with criminal investigations.
Questions about us government bitcoin holdings
Estimates from blockchain analytics firms such as Arkham and Nansen suggest the US government holds approximately 198,000 bitcoin, though a recent freedom of information request to the United States Marshals Service (USMS) indicated the agency currently controls just over 28,988 bitcoin.
Journalist L0la L33tz clarified that this figure may not include coins held by the FBI, DEA, or other agencies:
“There may be other custody offices than the USMS.”
Arkham further noted that various government arms—including the FBI, DOJ, and US Attorney’s Offices—maintain separate wallets, with none of these bitcoin moved for at least four months.
States move to establish their own bitcoin reserves
At least 30 US states have introduced legislation to establish a bitcoin strategic reserve, according to Bitcoin Laws.
However, only Arizona, Texas, and New Hampshire have successfully enacted such measures, while many proposals have failed to advance beyond initial committees.
