Trump deferred to regulators when asked whether the government would buy more Bitcoin

Trump Points to Advisers on Bitcoin Accumulation

When asked at a White House meeting whether the government would move to accumulate more $BTC, President @realDonaldTrump offered no commitment. He acknowledged the subject had been discussed and said he would "rely on Paul and the whole group for that," signalling he is content to let his advisory team lead on any future acquisition decisions. He added that crypto had taken pressure off the dollar, though he did not elaborate on the mechanism or scale of that effect.

The cautious tone reflects real constraints. The executive branch lacks the authority to buy Bitcoin on the open market without congressional appropriation, a limit that shapes how far Trump can move on the reserve without legislative backing.

What the Strategic Reserve Actually Is

President Trump signed the executive order on March 6, 2025, directing that Bitcoin seized through federal criminal and civil forfeiture proceedings be consolidated into a permanent national reserve. White House Crypto and AI Czar David Sacks said the reserve would be funded exclusively with Bitcoin seized in criminal and civil forfeiture cases, ensuring that taxpayers bear no financial burden.

The United States now holds roughly 328,372 $BTC, making it the largest known sovereign Bitcoin holder on the planet. The key rule: the Bitcoin in this reserve cannot be sold.

Separately, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce are directed to develop strategies for acquiring additional Bitcoin, provided those strategies are budget neutral and do not impose incremental costs on US taxpayers. Open-market purchases, however, would require an act of Congress. If the BITCOIN Act passes, the Treasury is estimated to begin its first official Bitcoin purchase in Q4 2026. A related proposal, the American Reserves Modernization Act (ARMA), would also authorise the Treasury to purchase up to 200,000 BTC per year over five years, with holdings locked for a minimum of 20 years. Neither bill has passed yet.

For now, the reserve remains what the executive order made it: a consolidation of assets the government already held, not a programme of active acquisition. Whether that changes will depend on the advice Trump says he is willing to hear, and on Congress moving the necessary legislation forward.

Sources:
White House Executive Order: Establishment of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (March 2025)
CNBC: Trump signs executive order establishing US strategic Bitcoin reserve
Congress.gov: BITCOIN Act of 2025 (S.954)