US government tops global Bitcoin holdings with $15b in assets

The U.S. government is the largest Bitcoin holder among nations worldwide, with approximately $14.7 billion worth of BTC.

According to Arkham data, the U.S. government currently holds 212,847 BTC in its treasury wallets, just behind MicroStrategy, which owns 214,246 BTC, which is currently valued at $14.8 billion.

Apart from Bitcoin, the U.S. has collected significant quantities of other digital currencies, including Ethereum (ETH) and USDC and Tether (USDT) stablecoins, collectively valued at nearly $200 million. The UK government has the second-largest holdings, with almost $4.2 billion of Bitcoin. The German government also holds approximately $3.4 billion worth of BTC. However, according to Arkham data, neither country has other significant cryptocurrencies. 

El Salvador formally recognizes Bitcoin as legal tender and maintains a reserve of 5,717 BTC, valued at nearly $400 million. El Salvador continued accumulating BTC throughout 2022 despite facing heavy losses due to the market downturn. Now the country has since seen a 50% profit in its holdings. 

Throughout the start of 2023, the U.S. expanded its Bitcoin reserves by at least 5,000 BTC, primarily through seizures related to criminal activities, including the infamous Silk Road, and cases involving individuals like Jimmy Zhong and groups like the Bitfinex hackers.