A House committee has advanced a bill that would require qualifying federal Bitcoin holdings to remain locked in a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for 20 years. The measure has cleared a key legislative hurdle, though it has not yet become law.
House committee moves the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve bill forward
Committee approval is an intermediate step in the legislative process. A bill passing out of committee means lawmakers have agreed to send it to a broader vote, but it does not mean the proposal has been enacted as federal policy. For related coverage, see Celsius Estate Sues BitMEX Over $495M Bitcoin Liquidations.
The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve bill would establish a formal framework for the government to hold Bitcoin as a long-term reserve asset. According to reporting from CryptoSlate, the proposal centers on freezing qualifying federal Bitcoin holdings for two decades. The specific committee name, bill number, vote tally, and sponsor details have not been independently confirmed in the available source material. For related coverage, see House Ways and Means Passes Digital Asset Tax Certainty Act.
This development fits into a broader pattern of congressional activity around digital asset policy. Earlier this year, a separate Bitcoin reserve debate moved through the House Financial Services Committee as part of the ARMA markup process.
What the 20-year Bitcoin holding requirement would cover
The bill’s central requirement is that qualifying federal Bitcoin holdings would be kept in the reserve for 20 years. That word, qualifying, is important. Not every Bitcoin the federal government currently holds would necessarily fall under the bill’s rules.
The federal government holds Bitcoin primarily through asset seizures in criminal and civil cases. Whether all seized Bitcoin, only post-enactment acquisitions, or some other defined subset would qualify for the reserve is not specified in the available source material. The exact eligibility criteria and custody mechanics would need to be confirmed against the bill’s full text, which can be searched through Congress.gov’s legislation database.
A 20-year holding period is an unusually long horizon for any government asset policy. It would mean that Bitcoin designated for the reserve could not be sold, transferred, or liquidated for two decades, regardless of price movements or changing administrations.
Why a federal Bitcoin reserve proposal matters for crypto policy
The proposal signals that some lawmakers view Bitcoin as a strategic asset worth holding for the long term, similar to how the U.S. holds gold reserves. Treating Bitcoin as a multi-decade federal reserve asset would be a significant shift in how the government handles digital assets it acquires.
If enacted, the bill could shape several ongoing policy debates: how the government disposes of seized crypto assets, whether Bitcoin belongs in the same category as traditional reserve assets, and what role the federal government should play in crypto markets. The House committee that advanced the Digital Asset Tax Certainty Act earlier this session shows there is broader appetite for formal digital asset legislation.
Other committees have also been active on related fronts. The House panel that advanced a crypto tax framework for stablecoins is part of the same legislative wave that includes this Bitcoin reserve bill.
What the bill would not do, at this stage, is authorize the government to purchase new Bitcoin. Based on the available evidence, the proposal covers existing qualifying holdings rather than creating a mechanism to buy more.
The bill still needs to pass the full House, clear the Senate, and be signed into law before it takes effect. Each of those steps involves further debate, amendments, and votes. For anyone holding Bitcoin or following crypto regulation, the committee vote is a signal worth watching, but it is not the finish line.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.
