Begich's ARMA Bill Would Lock Federal Bitcoin Into a 20-Year Reserve
Rep. Nick Begich introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act, which would require the Treasury to hold a Bitcoin reserve for at least 20 years and consolidate federal crypto holdings. Sources differ on the size of the existing federal stash, with one putting it above $25 billion.
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What the Bill Proposes
Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK) introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act (ARMA) on Thursday, which would direct the Treasury Department to create and maintain a Bitcoin reserve for a minimum of 20 years. The bill also establishes a separate stockpile for other cryptocurrencies held by the government, and requires consolidation of digital assets currently spread across federal agencies, largely acquired through forfeitures and penalties.
The Treasury would be required to publish quarterly proof-of-reserve reports, undergo independent third-party audits, and answer to direct congressional oversight, according to CryptoSlate's summary of the text. The bill also directs a study into budget-neutral acquisition methods that avoid tax increases, deficit spending or new national debt.
Size of the Existing Holdings
Sources disagree on how large the federal position already is. CryptoSlate, citing Bitcoin Treasuries data, puts the US holding at 328,372 BTC, valued at more than $25 billion. Decrypt describes the figure only as likely to be in the billions of dollars, a broader estimate tied to assets gathered through forfeitures and penalties that has not been independently reconciled in the reporting. The gap matters because the bill's transparency provisions are meant to resolve exactly this kind of uncertainty.
Political Backing and Opposition
The bill's primary Democratic co-lead is Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), and it has 17 original co-sponsors, including Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), per both outlets. Golden said in a statement that an ARMA-created stockpile would carry the "weight of law," in contrast to reserves that he argued have been auctioned or held according to the executive branch's discretion.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, has criticized the broader strategic reserve created by executive order in May 2025, arguing that crypto lacks the inherent value of traditional strategic commodities. Strive CEO Matt Cole called the bill "the single most important crypto legislation that can come out of D.C."
Status of the Executive Reserve
The reserve Trump created by executive order has not yet made any announced allocations. Decrypt reports that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out agency purchases after a former administration official had said the White House wanted to buy as much Bitcoin as possible in a budget-neutral way. Patrick Witt, executive director of the President's Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, said in Las Vegas that the administration has spent months working through the legal interpretations.
The bill sits alongside Sen. Cynthia Lummis's BITCOIN Act, which would direct the Treasury to buy 1 million BTC over five years. CryptoSlate notes that the Lummis bill has stalled, and Decrypt frames the ARMA proposal as an attempt to shield crypto policy from "the whims of Congress or future administrations," in Begich's words.
Why It Matters
For Traders
Any near-term price effect depends on passage, which faces a crowded midterm calendar, and Treasury's stated refusal to buy means no bid is confirmed.
For Investors
Codifying a 20-year hold would convert the federal holding from discretionary seized inventory into a statutory long-term position, a structural shift if enacted.
For Builders
Quarterly proof-of-reserve reporting and self-custody protections would set public disclosure and custody standards that wallet and custody providers may need to track.
This article is for information only and is not financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.
