City of Roswell, New Mexico Establishes First City-Held Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
On April 29, 2025, the City of Roswell, New Mexico, officially received its first seed donation to establish the "Roswell Strategic (Bitcoin) Reserve & Bitcoin Emergency Fund." The initial contribution totaled 3,050,323 satoshis (0.03050323 BTC), valued at approximately $2,906 at the time of receipt, and was sent anonymously on January 3, 2025. The reserve is city-held and managed, with the goal of accumulating further bitcoin donations and sponsorships over time.
Key Conditions and Purpose:
- The fund will hold all bitcoin donations for at least 10 years from each gift’s acceptance.
- After this period, proceeds from bitcoin’s appreciation may be used to cover up to 100% of water bills for all senior citizens in Roswell.
- Once the fund reaches a minimum value of $1 million, up to 21% of its value every five years may be used as a liquid emergency fund for disaster relief, subject to unanimous approval by the Roswell City Council.
- Any changes or additional uses for the fund will also require unanimous council approval.
The Roswell Strategic Reserve is open to further bitcoin contributions from the public, with the city encouraging donations to its public bitcoin address. This pioneering initiative makes Roswell the first city in the world to establish a city-held and managed bitcoin reserve, setting a precedent for municipal-level digital asset adoption in the United States
