Rep. Nick Begich, R-Alaska, has introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act, a bill aimed at establishing a U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve to diversify the nation's reserves balance sheet. The proposed legislation, which has garnered bipartisan support, would create a bitcoin reserve within the Treasury Department, alongside a separate digital asset stockpile for federally held digital assets other than bitcoin [1]. Begich compared bitcoin to gold, noting that bitcoin represents about 60% of the total market capitalization of the crypto space, positioning it as the predominant store of value within its asset class [1].
President Donald Trump previously signed an executive order in March 2025 to establish a strategic bitcoin reserve, but the initiative is not yet fully operational. The Trump administration has been working toward this goal with the intention of securing U.S. dominance in the global crypto market. Trump has publicly expressed his support for crypto, calling it "perhaps the greatest revolution in financial technology since the birth of the internet itself" during the signing of the Genius Act in July 2025 [1].
In recent developments, the Treasury Department launched Operation Economic Fury to disrupt Iran’s revenue streams, resulting in the seizure of nearly $500 million in Iranian cryptocurrency assets as of late April. Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., a co-sponsor of the bill, highlighted the need for a coherent strategy to manage the billions in seized bitcoin currently held by the U.S. government [1].
Additionally, the Senate Banking Committee has advanced the Clarity Act with bipartisan support in a 15-9 vote, moving it to the Senate floor. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., indicated that a vote could occur by mid-June, though she described this timeline as "probably pretty optimistic." Begich has expressed the goal for the U.S. to hold about 5%, or roughly 1 million coins, of the world’s bitcoin in the reserve, which would be comparable to the current U.S. gold holdings [1].
CONCLUSION
The introduction of the American Reserve Modernization Act signals a significant shift toward integrating bitcoin into the U.S. strategic reserves, with bipartisan legislative momentum and executive branch interest. If enacted, the bill could position the U.S. as a leader in digital asset management and potentially impact global crypto markets. The market is closely watching the legislative process and the Treasury's evolving strategy for managing seized and reserve bitcoin holdings.