A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced H.R.8957 this week, a bill that would establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve within the Department of the Treasury and mandate transparent, long-term management of the federal government’s Bitcoin holdings. The legislation, titled the American Reserve Modernization Act (ARMA) of 2026, requires no new taxpayer spending and locks acquired Bitcoin for a minimum of 20 years.
What H.R.8957 Proposes: A Bitcoin Reserve With Built-In Transparency
Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK) introduced H.R.8957 on May 21, 2026, with bipartisan co-lead Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) and more than 17 original co-sponsors from both parties. The bill has been referred to the House Financial Services Committee.
ARMA would create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve funded entirely from Bitcoin the government already holds. The U.S. government currently possesses approximately 328,372 BTC, worth over $25.5 billion, all accumulated through law enforcement seizures. That makes the United States the largest nation-state Bitcoin holder in the world.
U.S. Government Bitcoin Holdings
328,372 BTC
≈ $25.5 Billion
Largest nation-state Bitcoin holding in the world — accumulated from law enforcement seizures. H.R.8957 (ARMA) would codify formal strategic management of these assets.
Source: Bitcoin Magazine
The bill’s transparency provisions are its defining feature. All federal agencies would be required to publish quarterly Proof of Reserve reports, giving the public verifiable visibility into government digital asset holdings.
All Bitcoin deposited into the reserve must be held for a minimum of 20 years. After that lockup period, the Treasury may sell no more than 10% of the reserve in any two-year window. Proceeds from any eventual sales would be directed exclusively toward reducing the national debt.
A separate Digital Asset Stockpile would be created for non-Bitcoin cryptocurrency holdings held by the federal government, keeping the Bitcoin reserve distinct from other digital assets.
Why a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Matters for U.S. Crypto Policy
ARMA codifies into permanent federal statute the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve that President Trump established through executive order in March 2025. Executive orders can be reversed by a successor administration; legislation cannot.
This is a critical distinction from earlier proposals. Sen. Cynthia Lummis’s BITCOIN Act (S.4912 in 2024, reintroduced as S.954 in 2025) called for the government to actively purchase up to 1 million BTC over five years. That aggressive acquisition target drew criticism over taxpayer cost. ARMA sidesteps that objection entirely by being explicitly budget-neutral, building the reserve from assets already in government custody.
The bill arrives alongside broader crypto-friendly momentum on Capitol Hill. The Senate Banking Committee recently passed the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in a 15-9 bipartisan vote on May 13, 2026, advancing a sweeping regulatory framework to the full Senate. Together, these efforts signal that both chambers are moving toward formal integration of digital assets into U.S. fiscal and regulatory infrastructure.
Rep. Pat Harrigan, one of the co-sponsors, framed the problem directly:
“The United States government already holds billions in seized bitcoin with no coherent strategy for managing it.”
— Rep. Pat Harrigan, via Bitcoin Magazine
Begich has stated his long-term goal is for the U.S. to hold approximately 1 million BTC, roughly 5% of global supply, comparable to U.S. gold holdings as a percentage of global reserves. He described Bitcoin’s role in reserve strategy plainly: “The market has decided…that this will be the predominant store of value within that asset class.”
Legislative Path and Market Context
The bill now sits with the House Financial Services Committee. Earlier Bitcoin reserve proposals, including the Lummis bill, never received a floor vote. ARMA’s budget-neutral design and bipartisan co-sponsorship give it a stronger political foundation, though committee markup and a floor vote remain significant hurdles.
Bitcoin is trading at $75,395 at press time, down 1.68% over the past 24 hours and approximately 40% below its all-time high of $126,080 set in October 2025. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index sits at 28, firmly in “Fear” territory.
That disconnect is notable: Congress is advancing pro-Bitcoin legislation while the market trades in a risk-off posture. For context, the SEC’s recent approval of BTC index options on Nasdaq similarly represented institutional progress during a period of subdued price action.
The immediate question is whether the House Financial Services Committee schedules hearings on ARMA. No dates have been announced. If ARMA advances, it would need to be reconciled with the Senate’s parallel efforts, including the Lummis BITCOIN Act and the broader regulatory framework taking shape around stablecoins and digital asset classification.
With 17 bipartisan co-sponsors and a design that avoids new spending, ARMA has cleared the first political obstacle that stalled earlier reserve bills. Whether it clears the next ones depends on committee leadership and how the national debt reduction mechanism plays with fiscal conservatives who remain skeptical of Bitcoin as a reserve asset.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.