Key Points
- The U.S. government is the largest holder of Bitcoin globally, with an estimated value of $14.7 billion.
- Other significant Bitcoin holders include the UK and Germany, while El Salvador uses Bitcoin as legal tender.
The U.S. government holds the most Bitcoin among all nations, with its treasury wallets containing approximately 212,847 BTC, valued at around $14.7 billion.
Data from Arkham indicates that the U.S. government’s Bitcoin holdings are second only to MicroStrategy, which owns 214,246 BTC, equating to roughly $14.8 billion.
Other Cryptocurrency Holdings
In addition to Bitcoin, the U.S. has amassed substantial amounts of other digital currencies, including Ethereum and stablecoins like USDC and Tether (USDT), collectively worth nearly $200 million.
The UK government is the second-largest Bitcoin holder, with nearly $4.2 billion in Bitcoin, followed by the German government with around $3.4 billion in Bitcoin. According to Arkham, neither country holds significant amounts of other cryptocurrencies.
El Salvador, which has officially adopted Bitcoin as a legal tender, maintains a reserve of 5,717 BTC, valued at close to $400 million. Despite facing substantial losses due to market downturns, El Salvador continued to accumulate Bitcoin throughout 2022. The country has since seen a 50% profit on its Bitcoin holdings.
Expansion of U.S. Bitcoin Reserves
During the early part of 2023, the U.S. increased its Bitcoin reserves by at least 5,000 BTC. This expansion primarily resulted from seizures related to criminal activities, including the notorious Silk Road case, and cases involving individuals such as Jimmy Zhong and groups like the Bitfinex hackers.
