Where Are America’s Bitcoins? US Marshal Service Reveals Shocking Truth!

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On the 15th of July, 2025, the world was shaken by the revelations of Lola Leetz, an independent journalist, who, through the Freedom of Information Act, obtained documents from the U.S. Marshal Service. These documents disclosed that the service holds a mere 28,988.3563016 BTC, stored via Coinbase Prime. This figure, a mere 14.4% of the 207,189 BTC often cited as the U.S.’s Bitcoin holdings, has left many scratching their heads and wondering, what does this mean for the future? 🤔

Table of Contents

Summary
  • – Responding to the FOIA request, the U.S. Marshal Service admitted it holds nearly 29,000 bitcoins
  • – In March 2025, Crypto Czar David Sacks estimated the U.S. Bitcoin reserve at roughly 200,000 bitcoins
  • – Earlier in July, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration mentioned that in December 2023, the U.S. held $8 billion worth of seized cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, a bit under 200,000 bitcoins at the December 2023 prices
  • – Other agencies may hold bitcoins too; however, not all of these bitcoins are owned by the U.S. Read to learn which of the bitcoins are actually owned by the state

Documents from USMS

Ahead of the publication of the official audit of the U.S. Bitcoin holdings, Leetz published the data obtained from the U.S. Marshal Service. The request was made back in March, just days after the creation of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The revelation has sent ripples through the crypto community, with many questioning the whereabouts of the missing bitcoins. 🕵️‍♂️

HOLY SMOKES— WHERE IS AMERICA’S BITCOIN?!

The US Bitcoin audit is complete and US Marshalls reporting the United States only has 29,000 BTC now vs the 198,000 previously thought.

Wtf is going on?

— Cory Bates (@corybates1895) July 16, 2025

While some reacted to the figures with dismay, others saw it as a testament to the complexity of the U.S. Bitcoin holdings. The documents obtained by Leetz highlight the intricate web of agencies and departments that manage these assets, each with its own rules and procedures. The U.S. Marshal Service, for instance, is primarily responsible for holding forfeited assets, not seized ones. 🤷‍♂️

Leetz herself clarified via an X post that the U.S. Marshal Service is not the only agency in charge of holding bitcoins. The IRS, FBI, DEA, and others also play a role. The distinction between seized and forfeited assets further complicates the matter, as seized assets can be returned to victims of crimes, while forfeited assets belong to the government. 🤯

So, what does this mean? The U.S. owns nearly 29,000 bitcoins held by the U.S. Marshal Service, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Other governmental departments may hold additional forfeited bitcoins, and some seized assets may be returned to their rightful owners. The full picture remains a mystery, much to the delight of conspiracy theorists and crypto enthusiasts alike. 🤪

Alright my guys. Since we now all have our panties in a jumble over the US Government „selling their bitcoin“, Id like to alert you to the fact that there is a difference between *seized assets* and *forfeited assets*.

The USMS is mainly in charge of *forfeited assets*, meaning…

— L0la L33tz (@L0laL33tz) July 16, 2025

Leetz emphasizes that tools like the Arkham government wallet tracker, which doesn’t differentiate between seized and forfeited bitcoins, are unreliable for estimating the U.S. Bitcoin holdings. The true extent of the U.S. Bitcoin reserve remains shrouded in secrecy, much to the frustration of those seeking transparency. 🤐

Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and long-awaited audit

On March 6, 2025, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The order prohibits the U.S. from selling bitcoins and mandates the Department of the Treasury to control custodian accounts. The order gave U.S. agencies holding Bitcoin 30 days to account for and report their holdings to the U.S. Treasury. 📜

Just a few minutes ago, President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

The Reserve will be capitalized with Bitcoin owned by the federal government that was forfeited as part of criminal or civil asset forfeiture proceedings. This means it…

— David Sacks (@davidsacks47) March 7, 2025

As of July 17, 2025, no official results of the audit have been published, and the exact amount of bitcoins held by the U.S. remains a closely guarded secret. Unofficial estimates place the figure between 198,000 and 207,189 bitcoins, making the U.S. one of the top BTC holders among nations. However, the lack of transparency and the complexity of the system make it difficult to verify these claims. 🤔

Another official disclosure

While the official audit results are still pending, another document has provided a glimpse into the possible crypto holdings of the U.S. government. On July 1, 2025, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration released a Final Evaluation Report, which, while not providing a precise amount of U.S.-owned bitcoins, mentioned that in December 2023, the IRC Criminal Investigation reported having seized digital assets totaling approximately $8 billion. 📊

The report does not specify the exact breakdown of these assets, but it suggests that a significant portion could be in Bitcoin. The TIGTA recommends that agents keep seized digital assets in their original form until a final order of forfeiture is entered, a practice that, while not common, has been observed in some cases. 📝

In December 2023, $8 billion was equivalent to about 190,400 bitcoins. However, not all of these assets are forfeited, and some may be returned to victims of crimes. The exact amount of Bitcoin held by the U.S. government remains a mystery, but the TIGTA report provides a rough estimate of the maximum possible holdings. 🤫

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2025-07-17 20:16