Recent documents from the U.S. Marshal Service (USMS) reveal that the U.S. government currently holds approximately 29,000 bitcoins. This figure is significantly lower than the expected 200,000 bitcoins, raising public concern about the status of the cryptocurrency reserves.
Documents from USMS
Journalist Lola Leetz published data obtained from USMS via a Freedom of Information Act request concerning U.S. Bitcoin reserves. The information surfaced after the establishment of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
> WOW — WHERE IS AMERICA'S BITCOIN?! > The U.S. Bitcoin audit is complete, and the US Marshalls report that the United States only has 29,000 BTC now vs. the 198,000 previously believed. > What is going on? > — Cory Bates (@corybates1895) [July 16, 2025]
Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Long-awaiting Audit
On March 6, 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The order prohibits the U.S. from selling bitcoins and mandates the Department of Treasury to control the custodian accounts.
> Just a few minutes ago, President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. > The Reserve will be capitalized with Bitcoin owned by the federal government that was forfeited as part of criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings. This means it… > — David Sacks (@davidsacks47) [March 7, 2025]
Another Official Disclosure
As of now, official results of the U.S. Bitcoin stockpile audit have not been published. However, on July 1, 2025, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration released an evaluation report identifying issues in tracking government digital assets. This report mentions that in December 2023, the IRC reported having seized digital assets totaling approximately $8 billion.
The report does not specify the exact share of bitcoins in this amount, but provides a general outlook on possible government-held assets.
The new information about the bitcoins held by the U.S. government raises numerous questions regarding the structure and control of digital assets. A transparent audit for a clearer understanding of the reserves and management measures remains a pressing task.
