Government
Bitcoin
Holdings

The US government holds approximately 328,372 BTC as of September 18, 2026, worth $25.6B at current prices. This makes the United States the largest known government holder of Bitcoin in the world. Holdings were accumulated through criminal asset seizures: Silk Road (69,370 BTC), the Bitfinex hack recovery (94,636 BTC), James Zhong case (51,352 BTC), and other seizures (~113,014 BTC).

The United States holds the most Bitcoin of any country with 328,372 BTC ($25.6B at current prices), followed by China with approximately 194,000 BTC and the UK with 61,245 BTC. The US formally established its holdings as the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve via Executive Order in March 2025.

The U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is the formal designation for the US government's Bitcoin holdings, established by President Trump via Executive Order on March 6, 2025. The reserve holds 328,372 BTC accumulated through criminal asset forfeitures. The EO established a no-sell policy and is managed by the Department of the Treasury.

Germany sold approximately 49,858 BTC between June and July 2024 at an average price of ~$54,000 per BTC, raising about $2.6 billion. German law required the BKA to liquidate seized assets. The timing was widely criticized as Bitcoin subsequently surged past $100,000 — meaning Germany left approximately $2.5 billion in gains on the table.

China holds an estimated 194,000 BTC seized primarily from the massive PlusToken Ponzi scheme. China's holdings are the most opaque of any major government — Beijing has never officially disclosed them, and on-chain analysis by Chainalysis and Elliptic has attempted to trace the wallets. It is unclear whether China has liquidated any portion.

The US government acquired its 328,372 BTC through criminal forfeitures: (1) Silk Road seizure from Ross Ulbricht ~69,370 BTC; (2) Bitfinex hack recovery — 94,636 BTC from Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan; (3) James Zhong case — 51,352 BTC stolen from Silk Road; (4) Various other criminal seizures totaling ~113,014 BTC.

As of September 18, 2026, five US states have passed Bitcoin reserve legislation: New Hampshire (first, May 2025), Arizona, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. Six additional states — Wyoming, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia, and Massachusetts — have active legislation in progress.

The BITCOIN Act (S.954), introduced by Senator Cynthia Lummis, proposes the US government purchase 1 million additional Bitcoin over five years to add to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. If passed, it would make the US the single largest Bitcoin holder in the world, surpassing even Satoshi Nakamoto's estimated holdings.

Yes. El Salvador holds approximately 6,135 BTC as of September 18, 2026, worth $478.2M at current prices. El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021 and continues accumulating. It also mines Bitcoin using volcanic geothermal energy.

The US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is worth approximately $25.6B at current Bitcoin prices. This value fluctuates with BTC price — every $1,000 move changes the reserve's value by roughly $328 million. At a hypothetical $1 million per BTC, the reserve would be worth approximately $328 billion.

Under the Trump Executive Order of March 6, 2025, the US established a no-sell policy for its Bitcoin holdings. The EO prohibits selling or disposing of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. However, an EO can be revoked by a future president. Permanent protection would require the BITCOIN Act or ARMA to be signed into law.

Bhutan's state-owned Druk Holdings & Investments has been mining Bitcoin since at least 2019 using surplus hydroelectric power. Revealed by Forbes in 2023, Bhutan holds approximately 13,029 BTC — worth roughly $1.4 billion at current prices, representing ~30% of Bhutan's GDP.

El Salvador was the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, passing the Bitcoin Law in June 2021 (effective September 7, 2021). The Central African Republic briefly followed in 2022 but reversed the decision. El Salvador remains the only country to have sustained Bitcoin legal tender status over multiple years.

Ukraine received an estimated $100+ million in cryptocurrency donations following Russia's February 2022 invasion. The government set up official crypto donation wallets and used the funds for military equipment, humanitarian aid, and defense spending. Ukraine's Bitcoin holdings are estimated at approximately 46,351 BTC.

The trend strongly suggests yes. Following the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in 2025, multiple countries have begun exploring sovereign Bitcoin strategies. The game theory is compelling: once one major power commits to Bitcoin as a reserve asset, other nations face strategic incentive to do the same — or risk being left behind as the asset appreciates.