President Donald Trump signs a new executive order establishing a digital asset reserve for only Bitcoin and a national stockpile for XRP and other altcoins.
The order, signed yesterday, outlined the model for creating the highly anticipated U.S. Crypto Reserve. Notably, the order mandated the creation of a strategic Bitcoin-only reserve and a digital asset stockpile featuring altcoins–presumably cryptos like XRP, ADA, SOL, and ETH.
Bitcoin-only Reserve
According to the order, the strategic digital asset reserve will only hold Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market cap. David Sacks, White House AI & Crypto Czar, disclosed that the creation of this reserve will not cost taxpayers a dime.
He noted that the government would fund the reserve using the nearly 200,000 Bitcoins obtained through criminal and civil forfeiture. The U.S. government currently holds 198,109 BTC worth $17.33 billion and 750.22 wBTC valued at $65.52 million.
Previously, investors had expected the government to auction its BTC holdings, as it had done in the past. According to Sacks, the premature sale of the government’s Bitcoin holdings resulted in a loss of $17 billion, prompting Trump to develop a strategy to maximize the value of the remaining BTC. Therefore, he ordered that the nearly 200,000 BTC be deposited in a reserve and held as a store of value.
Furthermore, the United States aims to grow the Bitcoin held in the reserve by acquiring more BTC through budget-neutral ways. As a result, Trump ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to explore how the country can fund additional Bitcoin purchases without costing taxpayers a dime.
Digital Asset Stockpile
In addition, Trump’s recently signed executive order mandates the creation of a digital asset stockpile featuring only altcoins.
Sacks confirmed FOX Business Journalist Eleanor Terrett’s statement that this stockpile will presumably contain altcoins Trump highlighted over the weekend, which include XRP, Solana, Ethereum, and Cardano.
Like the Bitcoin-only reserve, the U.S. government will create the stockpile using assets “forfeited in criminal or civil proceedings.”
Of the four altcoins Trump named as part of the reserve initiative over the weekend, the U.S. government only holds Ethereum, totaling 56,035 ETH ($120.96 million). Despite not exclusively holding XRP, Solana, or Cardano, it currently possesses other altcoins and stablecoins. In particular, the U.S. government holds over $120 million in stablecoins and altcoins worth over $200 million.
With the government interested in holding XRP, Solana, and Cardano, it could convert some of its altcoin holdings into these assets and deposit them in the stockpile. It remains to be seen whether the government might follow this approach.
Nonetheless, the executive order explicitly stated that the government would not explore ways to buy additional assets for the stockpile beyond what it has already obtained via criminal or civil forfeiture.
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