Bitcoin News Today: U.S. Treasury Halts Bitcoin Sales, Builds Strategic Reserve from Seized Assets

The U.S. Treasury has officially halted the sale of Bitcoin from its reserves, as part of a strategic shift to treat the digital asset as a long-term financial reserve [1]. Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that the government’s Bitcoin holdings are valued between $15 billion and $20 billion, sourced largely from forfeited cryptocurrency seized in law enforcement operations [2]. This move signals a broader recognition of Bitcoin’s potential as a strategic reserve asset, alongside traditional holdings like gold, which the Treasury said will remain a store of value but will not be revalued [3].

The government will no longer purchase additional Bitcoin using public funds, and future reserves will come solely from confiscated assets [6]. This decision has sparked discussions about how the U.S. is navigating the evolving landscape of digital assets while maintaining a diversified reserve strategy. Bessent emphasized that the Treasury is committed to building the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve established by the March executive order, using the already forfeited coins as the foundation [1].

The announcement triggered a short-term price correction in Bitcoin, with the asset dropping from an intraday high of $124,457 to $119,290 within hours [7]. Despite this, Bitcoin remains up 27.51% year-to-date and has gained 96.39% compared to the previous year [8]. Analysts suggest that the reduced selling pressure from the Treasury could provide support to Bitcoin in the long term, though the asset’s trajectory will still depend on broader market dynamics and institutional sentiment [9].

The U.S. is now among a small number of countries managing digital assets as part of their national reserves, reinforcing its influence in both the gold and cryptocurrency markets [10]. While gold remains a key pillar of the Treasury’s reserves, the growing emphasis on Bitcoin reflects a shift in how the government views digital assets as strategic tools for financial stability.

Source:

[1] Coinfomania – [https://coinfomania.com/scott-bessent-says-seized-bitcoin-to-form-u-s-strategic-reserve/](https://coinfomania.com/scott-bessent-says-seized-bitcoin-to-form-u-s-strategic-reserve/)

[2] CoinGape – [https://coingape.com/u-s-bitcoin-reserves-worth-up-to-20-billion-scott-bessent/](https://coingape.com/u-s-bitcoin-reserves-worth-up-to-20-billion-scott-bessent/)

[3] AInvest – [https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-halts-bitcoin-sales-15-20-billion-reserve-strategy-shift-2508/](https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-halts-bitcoin-sales-15-20-billion-reserve-strategy-shift-2508/)

[6] Mitrade – [https://www.mitrade.com/insights/news/live-news/article-3-1040409-20250814](https://www.mitrade.com/insights/news/live-news/article-3-1040409-20250814)

[9] FastBull – [https://m.fastbull.com/analyst-article/bitcoin-correction-may-set-the-stage-for-the-4339759_0](https://m.fastbull.com/analyst-article/bitcoin-correction-may-set-the-stage-for-the-4339759_0)