🇺🇸 BREAKING: U.S. Treasury Will **Hold Confiscated Bitcoin**, But **Banks Won’t Be Forced to Buy BTC**
U.S. Treasury official Scott Bessent told lawmakers that the United States plans to continue retaining Bitcoin obtained through asset seizures instead of selling it off — reinforcing a strategic stance toward Bitcoin as a held asset.
However, he also made it clear that the government cannot compel private banks to buy or hold Bitcoin during market downturns.
This dual message reflects a balancing act between policy and market realities:
🧠 Key Points
📌 Tethering BTC on the books
The U.S. government will keep Bitcoin from seizures in its reserves rather than liquidate it, signaling a shift from automatic disposal policies of the past.
📌 No force on private banks
Treasury cannot and will not mandate private financial institutions to hold BTC, even if prices are depressed.
📌 Market autonomy respected
Banks and financial firms remain free to set their own exposure based on risk tolerance, regulation, and fiduciary requirements.
💡 Why This Matters
This testifies to an important macro stance:
🔹 The U.S. views Bitcoin as legitimate enough to hold at the sovereign level
🔹 But it stops short of making crypto a regulatory obligation for banks
🔹 Private exposure remains voluntary and market-driven
This approach recognizes Bitcoin’s growing role in global finance while adhering to traditional risk frameworks.
📊 Crypto Trader Take
• Bulls: Holding BTC at the sovereign level shows confidence in long-term store-of-value.
• Skeptics: No forced bank buys means private capital can still avoid crypto — risk appetite unchanged.
• Traders: Watch custody & institutional demand data — these are real indicators of adoption.
📌 Bottom Line
BTC stays on the government balance sheet — but private banks decide for themselves.
That’s institutional respect without institutional mandate.
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