No Government Sell-Off: Samourai Wallet Bitcoin Secured in U.S. Reserve

Contrary to recent speculation, Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, clarified that no Bitcoin (BTC) from the Samourai Wallet case has been sold by U.S. authorities. After confirming with the Department of Justice, Witt stated that the forfeited digital assets remain untouched, addressing circulating market rumors about a potential government liquidation.

Forfeited Bitcoin Secured in Strategic Reserve

Witt shared on his X page that the DOJ confirmed the Bitcoin seized from Samourai Wallet will remain on the U.S. government’s balance sheet and will not be liquidated, in line with Executive Order 14233. The order, signed by President Trump, established a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) and specifically directs that BTC obtained through criminal forfeiture, referred to as “Government BTC,” must be added to the reserve rather than sold.

The situation drew attention earlier this month after Bitcoin Magazine reported that the U.S. Marshals Service appeared to have moved over $6 million in Bitcoin, which had been paid by Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill following their convictions, to a Coinbase Prime address. While the transfer raised questions about potential liquidation, it would have contradicted the executive order, which safeguards government-held BTC as part of the SBR initiative.

Rodriguez, who developed Samourai Wallet with a cryptocurrency mixing feature, was sentenced in November to five years in prison for helping launder millions of dollars. Hill, the wallet’s chief technology officer, received a four-year sentence.

U.S. Strengthens Position in Global BTC Holdings

Currently, the U.S. government holds 328,372 BTC, valued at over $31 billion, according to Bitcoin Treasuries. China follows with 190,000 BTC worth around $18 billion, while the United Kingdom ranks third with 61,245 BTC, valued at approximately $5.8 billion.

The Trump administration is continuing to expand the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Witt told Crypto in America that work on the reserve will advance once the Treasury and Commerce departments finalize the management of certain legal obligations. The reserve initiative, championed by U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis, aims to accumulate 1 million Bitcoin over five years, acquiring the cryptocurrency in a manner that does not place any burden on taxpayers.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin itself is still struggling, as the largest cryptocurrency continues to find it difficult to reclaim the $100,000 mark. It is currently trading around $95,114, down roughly 1% over the past 24 hours, reflecting the ongoing uncertainty in the market.