Following the United States’ intervention in Venezuela and rumors surrounding Donald Trump’s potential confiscation of the nation’s bitcoin (BTC) for inclusion in the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR), attention has now shifted toward Cuba as a possible next target for state-level bitcoin seizure.
This week, widespread speculation among Cuban citizens suggests that Trump might set his sights on seizing assets linked to Miguel Díaz-Canel, who succeeded Raúl and Fidel Castro as Cuba’s leader.
Just last week, President Trump commanded the US military to extradite Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, take control over Venezuela’s administration, and extract millions of barrels of oil. This sudden development fueled rumors that Washington could seize up to $60 billion worth of BTC allegedly held secretly by Maduro’s regime as a “shadow reserve.”
In addition, Trump explicitly revived the Monroe Doctrine—originally a 19th-century policy warning European powers against interference in the Western Hemisphere—rebranding it this year with his own bold signature as the “Donroe Doctrine.”
The Monroe Doctrine began largely as a bluff; back in the 1820s when it was introduced, America lacked sufficient military power to enforce such claims and instead relied quietly on British naval dominance. Today however, with significantly enhanced military capabilities across this hemisphere—and considering Cuba’s strategic communist presence—the situation is quite different.
Cuba: The Next Potential Target?
Located just 90 miles from Florida’s coastlines, Cuba holds critical influence over vital oil shipping routes and hosts the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay. Historically notable for allowing Soviet ships and nuclear weapons within its territorial waters during Cold War tensions.
Similar to Venezuela’s case, there is no official confirmation that Cuba directly owns significant amounts of BTC. For instance, Forbes reported only about 240 BTC tied officially to Venezuela back in 2022 without further updates since then.
Unofficial estimates suggest Nicolás Maduro may control more than 600,000 BTC privately. Should Washington seize these bitcoins citing proceeds from alleged criminal activities by Maduro’s government—as part of bolstering its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve—it sets precedent for future actions against other regimes like Díaz-Canel’s government in Havana.
This scenario fuels speculation regarding potential future seizures targeting Cuban-held cryptocurrencies if an overthrow or regime change were ever orchestrated under Trump’s administration or successors.
The Spotlight on Bitcoin Confiscations Amid ‘Shadow Reserve’ Rumors
“The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve will be funded through bitcoins forfeited via criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings,” stated an executive order signed by Trump in March 2025.
The directive also emphasized that “the United States will not sell any bitcoins deposited into this reserve.”
Díaz-Canel’s government faces extensive sanctions imposed by Washington which include frozen assets belonging both to current officials and members associated with prior Castro administrations. Moreover,Cuba has actively engaged with cryptocurrency regulation including direct oversight by its central bank concerning bitcoin operations within national borders.
The exact volume of cryptocurrency owned or controlled covertly by Cuban authorities remains unknown due primarily to their strong incentives for secrecy aimed at evading detection from US Treasury investigations or sanctions enforcement efforts.
If unexpectedly toppled politically or militarily,the new American-backed leadership might uncover hidden caches deemed illicit earnings subjecting them legally—or controversially—to transfer into America’s SBR fund thus expanding federal crypto holdings dramatically overnight.
A Historical Context Of Attempts To Overthrow The Cuban Regime
The United States has long considered regime change efforts targeting Cuba—from interventions around Spanish-American War times through multiple occupations early last century—and notably during Cold War years when CIA plots repeatedly sought Fidel Castro’s assassination—all reflecting enduring geopolitical tensions centered around Havana’s communist governance model versus American interests nearby.’.</htmlentities