Trump administration creates “digital Fort Knox” with new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

The Trump administration‘s new Strategic Bitcoin Reserve marks a significant shift in the U.S. government’s approach to cryptocurrency, creating a federally-managed digital asset stockpile without new taxpayer funding. This executive order represents one of the most substantial cryptocurrency policy implementations from a U.S. administration, potentially legitimizing digital assets within traditional government financial infrastructure.

The big picture: Trump has directed the establishment of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve through executive order, according to White House cryptocurrency czar David Sacks.

• The reserve will be created using bitcoin already in government possession from criminal and civil asset forfeitures, ensuring no additional cost to taxpayers.
• The initiative follows Trump’s recent social media statement announcing plans to stockpile Bitcoin, Ethereum, and three other tokens, which initially faced resistance from parts of the crypto industry.

Key details: The executive order creates both a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile under Treasury Department management.

• Sacks described the reserve as “a digital Fort Knox,” emphasizing that the government will not sell any bitcoin held within it.
• The order also mandates a comprehensive accounting of all government-held digital assets, which Sacks estimates includes approximately 200,000 bitcoin.

Why this matters: This represents a dramatic evolution in U.S. cryptocurrency policy, potentially establishing bitcoin as a strategic national reserve asset alongside traditional holdings like gold.

• The move could significantly influence cryptocurrency markets by removing substantial bitcoin supply from circulation while signaling long-term governmental confidence in digital assets.