House Panel Advances US Bitcoin Reserve Bill with 20-Year Hold

The House Financial Services Committee voted 28‑21 to advance H.R. 8957, the American Reserve Modernization Act, which would place the federal Strategic Bitcoin Reserve into statutory law and impose a 20‑year holding period on the assets.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• The Secretary of the Treasury must hold all bitcoin in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for at least 20 years from the date the act is enacted.
• The 20‑year clock starts on enactment, replacing the earlier rolling schedule that began with each deposit.
• During the holding period, the bitcoin cannot be sold, swapped, auctioned, encumbered, or otherwise disposed of.
• Two years before the end of the period, Treasury must submit recommendations to Congress on whether to retain the assets or allow controlled releases.
• After the holding period, Treasury may recommend selling up to 10% of the reserve in any two‑year window.

Implementation Timeline

Within 180 days of enactment, Treasury would establish both the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate Digital Asset Stockpile. Agencies must inventory their digital assets within 60 days and transfer qualifying assets to the reserve or stockpile within 30 days of the structures’ creation.

Reporting and Oversight

• Annual proof‑of‑reserve reports would be published, detailing holdings, transactions, and key control.
• An independent cryptographic auditor would verify the reports, with the Comptroller General providing ongoing oversight.
• The bill also directs Treasury and Commerce to study budget‑neutral methods for acquiring additional bitcoin, without authorizing new purchases or financing mechanisms.

Comparison with Existing Executive Order

Executive Order 14233, issued in 2025, already directs the creation of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a Digital Asset Stockpile, prohibiting sales of reserve bitcoin. The bill would solidify those policies in law, making them less vulnerable to future executive changes, though Congress could still amend or repeal the statute.

Potential Impact

On‑chain analysis attributes roughly 324,527 BTC to U.S. government‑linked addresses, representing a substantial pool of seized or forfeited cryptocurrency. Codifying a 20‑year hold treats bitcoin as a long‑term reserve asset, akin to gold, but the legislation acknowledges its price volatility.