US Moves $2 Billion Bitcoin Seized from Silk Road Amid Donald Trump’s HODL Plan

On July 29 at 16:18 UTC, Arkham Intelligence’s on-chain data revealed the movement of approximately 28,000 Bitcoin (BTC) from the Silk Road DOJ Confiscated Funds to new addresses.

This US government transfer, worth roughly $2 billion, has caused a stir among the crypto community.

The US Government’s $2 Billion Bitcoin Transfer Sparks Debate

According to Arkham, initially, the US government transferred those Bitcoins to address ‘bc1qs.’ Around one hour after this transaction, these assets were split between two addresses. The first received 10,000 BTC, valued at $669.35 million, while the second got 19,800 BTC, worth $1.33 billion. 

Arkham Intelligence suggested that the first address likely represents an institutional custody service deposit. Despite this substantial transfer, the US government’s crypto portfolio still holds over $12 billion in Bitcoin.

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The US Government’s Bitcoin Transfer. Source: Arkham Intelligence

This transaction’s timing is noteworthy. It occurred just two days after former President Donald Trump revealed plans to prevent the government from selling its Bitcoin holdings if he returns to office. Trump’s announcement has fueled speculation about the potential for the US to leverage Bitcoin as a reserve asset under his leadership.

The transfer sparked varied reactions. Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of the Gemini crypto exchange, pointed out the timing on X (formerly Twitter).

“On Saturday, Trump pledged to never sell any of the US government’s bitcoin. Two days later, the Biden-Harris Administration moves $2 billion of Silk Road Bitcoin. Great look and a great way to reset with our industry,” he commented, adding a clown emoji to highlight his skepticism.

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz also expressed his disapproval of the timing. He even called this move “tone deaf.”

“Moving Silk Road BTC two days after Trump’s pledge to not move them is just dumb!!!!” Novogratz criticized.

Economist Peter Schiff suggested that Trump’s announcement might have prompted the current administration to act swiftly. He indicated that if Trump had truly planned to use seized Bitcoin to establish a US ‘strategic’ reserve, he would have kept his intentions secret until he officially took office.

“Now that the Biden administration is wise to his plan, they’ll make sure to sell every satoshi before Trump takes office,” Schiff remarked.

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BeInCrypto reported in April that a government wallet sent nearly 2,000 BTC to a Coinbase Prime hot wallet. Additionally, the US Marshals Service, which manages and sells seized assets, recently announced a $32.5 million payment to Coinbase for custodial services.