President Donald Trump announced a major shift in U.S. Bitcoin policy, declaring that America will never sell its Bitcoin holdings again. This statement formalizes a new long-term reserve strategy and directly criticizes sales conducted under the previous Biden administration.
Trump labeled past sales a "billion-dollar mistake," noting that tens of thousands of Bitcoins were sold prematurely. Estimates indicate over 50,000 BTC were sold, which at current prices near $100,000 would be worth more than $5 billion. He stated, "We sold tens of thousands of Bitcoin. Those, today, would be worth billions. Never again."
The U.S. government's Bitcoin reserve, currently estimated at around 325,000 BTC (valued at approximately $32.5 billion), is acquired through asset forfeiture from criminal and civil cases, operating on a budget-neutral basis without taxpayer funds. Officials emphasized that future accumulation would continue through seizures and non-budgetary means.
The market response was cautiously positive, with Bitcoin prices moving within a 1% range following the announcement. Global trading volumes exceeded $30 billion, which analysts interpreted as positioning rather than speculation, reflecting increased long-term confidence.
This policy change has global implications, eliminating the perceived risk of large-scale government liquidations and potentially leading other nations to revise their Bitcoin strategies. The announcement also signals a regulatory tone shift, with the administration acknowledging digital assets, contrasting with previous enforcement-heavy approaches.
