The US Is A Bitcoin Whale—Arkham Clarifies BTC Holdings
In line with Arkham Intelligence, the US authorities nonetheless holds greater than 198,000 Bitcoin. That’s round $23.4 billion sitting in digital wallets throughout a number of companies.
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A current public spreadsheet confirmed simply 28,988.356 BTC beneath the Marshals Service. However FBI, IRS, DEA and Justice Division seizures makes the entire bounce far larger.
Authorities Stash Unfold Throughout Businesses
Primarily based on experiences from the Marshals Service, 28,988.356 BTC—value roughly $3.45 billion—has been beneath its management since July 15, 2025.
Different companies don’t share that information publicly. They handle cash from crime probes and prize auctions. Arkham gathered on‑chain information and linked addresses tied to every company. When added, the entire hits at the very least 198,012 BTC.
DID THE US GOVERNMENT JUST SELL 170,000 BTC ($20 BILLION)?
No. This Freedom of Info Request response from the US Marshals Service (USMS) cites them as holding 28,988 BTC ($3.4B), however different departments of the US Authorities additionally seize and maintain Bitcoin, together with the FBI,… https://t.co/8kpjwyKcT9 pic.twitter.com/uB7EejUCVz
— Arkham (@arkham) July 23, 2025
In on a regular basis phrases, which means the US is an enormous bitcoin “whale” that also owns about 198,000 BTC. It’s not simply sitting on the Marshals Service.
The remainder is unfold out in hidden pockets. These cash haven’t moved within the final 4 months. Merchants who noticed solely the Marshals quantity panicked.
Senator Cynthia Lummis even warned it could be a “complete strategic blunder” if the reserves actually fell beneath 30,000 BTC.
Arkham: The US Authorities presently holds at the very least 198,000 BTC ($23.5B) throughout a number of addresses held by totally different authorities arms. None of this has moved for 4 months. pic.twitter.com/nhWWeWqhmh
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 24, 2025
Massive Instances Make Up Most Holdings
An enormous chunk—114,599 BTC—got here from the 2016 Bitfinex hack case towards Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan. That haul alone counts for greater than $13.65 billion.
Silk Street‑associated seizures add about 94,643 BTC. That breaks down into 51,680 BTC from James Zhong’s theft and 69,370 BTC linked to a different hacker, generally referred to as “Particular person X.”
Different circumstances assist pad the entire. Arkham noticed $81.25 million in BTC taken from Alameda Analysis’s Binance accounts after FTX collapsed.
One other $79.50 million got here from HashFlare scammers Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turogin. Even small hits like 58.7 BTC from Ryan Farace’s case present up within the chain information.
Gross sales Haven’t Touched Core Provide
The US bought 9,861 BTC value about $215 million in March 2023 from the Zhong case. In August 2024, one other 10,000 BTC went for $594 million.
Then in December 2024, 10,000 BTC bought for roughly $968 million. Regardless of that exercise, the principle piles from Bitfinex and Silk Street haven’t moved. These cash nonetheless sit the place seizing companies left them.
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And not using a single public ledger, every new FOIA launch sparks recent rumors. Some merchants jumped on the Marshals determine and drove costs up or down on the information.
However realizing the true 198,000 BTC determine might calm that. A grasp dashboard, up to date in close to actual time, would assist reduce the drama when auctions roll round.
Featured picture from Getty Photographs, chart from TradingView
