Reports suggesting that the United States government has sold Bitcoin (BTC) confiscated during enforcement actions have been officially refuted.
Patrick Witt, who serves as the Executive Director of the White House Digital Assets Advisory Committee, confirmed—citing information from the U.S. Department of Justice—that the digital currencies seized in connection with the Samurai Wallet investigation remain unsold and will continue to be retained.
Witt explained that these assets are managed under Executive Order 14233, enacted by former President Donald Trump. They are preserved on the federal government’s balance sheet within what is known as the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR). He emphasized, “Based on DOJ confirmation, none of the Bitcoin taken from Samourai Wallet has been liquidated or will be liquidated in future transactions. These holdings remain part of our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve per EO 14233.”
To provide context, earlier this year on January 5th, certain cryptocurrency news sources reported that around 57.55 BTC—seized from Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill by authorities including the U.S. Marshals Service—had allegedly been sold off by government agencies. Such claims raised concerns about potential breaches of Executive Order 14233.
The recent clarification unequivocally denies those allegations. The executive order clearly stipulates that any confiscated Bitcoins must be kept within a strategic reserve rather than being auctioned or otherwise disposed of by federal entities.
*Please note: This content does not constitute financial advice.