As of May 31, 2025, both Pakistan and the United States have announced the establishment of strategic Bitcoin reserves, reflecting a growing trend among nations to consider cryptocurrencies as strategic assets.
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🇵🇰 Pakistan's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
On May 28, 2025, Bilal Bin Saqib, Pakistan's Minister of State for Blockchain and Crypto, announced plans to establish a national Bitcoin reserve. The initiative includes allocating 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity to support Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence data centers. The government intends to hold Bitcoin in a national wallet with no plans to sell the assets, signifying a long-term commitment to digital currency.
However, this announcement has led to confusion and criticism within Pakistan. Senior officials from the State Bank of Pakistan and the Ministry of Finance have reaffirmed that cryptocurrency remains banned in the country, and all crypto-related transactions are still considered illegal under current Pakistani law. This contradiction highlights the government's inconsistent stance on cryptocurrency and creates further regulatory challenges.
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🇺🇸 United States Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
In March 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile. The reserve is to be capitalized with Bitcoin seized in criminal and civil asset forfeiture proceedings, and the government has stated that these assets will not be sold but maintained as reserve assets to meet governmental objectives.
The U.S. government currently holds approximately 200,000 BTC, making it the largest known state holder of Bitcoin. The executive order also mandates the Secretary of the Treasury to develop strategies for acquiring additional government-held Bitcoin, provided such strategies are budget-neutral and do not impose incremental costs on U.S. taxpayers.
