U.S. Holds Only 28,988 BTC - Far Below the Expected 200,000+

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request has revealed that the U.S. Marshals Service currently holds only 28,988 BTC, contradicting earlier widespread assumptions that the U.S. owned over 200,000 BTC in seized digital assets.

With Bitcoin trading at $118,493, this reserve equates to roughly $3.43 billion—significantly lower than the $23.5 billion figure previously estimated by Arkham Intelligence.

Historically, Bitcoin seized from dark web markets and fraud operations was believed to be strategically stockpiled, but the FOIA response suggests that much of it has already been sold through auctions. This revelation has sparked political reactions, with Senator Cynthia Lummis criticizing the government’s approach as a strategic misstep.

Some market analysts argue that reduced government-held BTC could alleviate sell pressure, signaling a bullish outlook. Meanwhile, countries like El Salvador and Japan’s Metaplanet continue to accumulate BTC, raising concerns that the U.S. might be missing a geopolitical opportunity.

While the FOIA transparency is welcomed, critics stress the absence of a coordinated Strategic Bitcoin Reserve policy may have long-term economic and technological costs.