The United States has initiated legal action to seize over 20 bitcoins worth approximately $2.4 million, allegedly proceeds from ransomware attacks carried out by the hacker group Chaos. The funds could contribute to the newly proposed U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve.
According to a civil forfeiture complaint filed Thursday in the Northern District of Texas, the cryptocurrency was seized on April 15, 2025, by the FBI in Dallas from a wallet allegedly linked to a member of Chaos, a group tied to coordinated ransomware attacks.
š¹ Bitcoins Could Expand the National Reserve
If the court approves the forfeiture, the 20.2 BTC will be permanently confiscated by the government and could become part of the U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve. This reserve was proposed under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on March 6, 2025, and is meant to be funded through crypto assets seized in criminal and civil proceedings.
š¹ How Much BTC Does the U.S. Actually Hold?
Estimates suggest the U.S. government holds around 198,000 BTC, accumulated through seizures over the years. These figures are supported by platforms like Arkham Intelligence, Nansen, and BitcoinTreasuries.NET.
However, independent journalist L0la L33tz recently cast doubt on those numbers. In a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request response from the U.S. Department of Justice, she learned that the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) holds only 28,988 BTC. This suggests other agencies like the FBI, DEA, and Department of Justice may control the rest.
š¹ Arkham: U.S. Government Is Holding, Not Selling
On July 23, analytics firm Arkham stated that none of the government-tracked wallets had moved any BTC since April 2025, implying a long-term holding strategy. However, L0la L33tz pointed out that many trackers donāt distinguish between seized and officially forfeited coins, meaning the legal status of many assets remains uncertain.
She emphasized that not all BTC held by the government are eligible for sale or inclusion in the national reserve unless they've officially been forfeited.
š¹ Three U.S. States Have Bitcoin Reserve Laws
According to Bitcoin Laws, more than 30 U.S. states have introduced legislation to establish their own bitcoin reserves. However, only Arizona, Texas, and New Hampshire have successfully passed such laws so far.
Most proposals have failed early in the legislative process, often being dismissed before reaching committee discussions. Nonetheless, interest in decentralized financial safeguards and government-level crypto reserves continues to grow in the United States.
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