The latest revelations from the US Marshals Service have sparked controversy in the global crypto community. According to the information released, the agency is only managing about 28,988 BTC – equivalent to approx. 3.4 billion USD Bitcoin price is $56,000, much lower than previous on-chain statistics.
Significant discrepancy between official and on-chain data
According to American independent journalist @L0laL33tz, who filed a FOIA request with the U.S. Marshals Service in March 2025, the official figure is lower by up to 8 times compared to on-chain data of Arkham, which believes that the US government owns about 198,000 BTC (approximate value) 23.4 billion USD).
The reason for the difference is explained by the fact that the reporter's request only applies to The property has been formally seized and ownership established by the US government., does not include assets that are under litigation or are in custody of other federal agencies such as the DOJ, IRS, DEA or FBI.
Additionally, according to blockchain expert @tayvano_ (MetaMask), some of the Bitcoins that were once seized may have been return to the victim or auctioned in previous rounds, making the actual figure likely to be lower than expected.
National Bitcoin Reserve Fund and Audit Request
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed the founding decree National Bitcoin Reserve Fund, and requires all federal agencies to audit crypto balances and report to the Treasury Department by April 5, 2025.
However, so far, the US government has not made this report public. Although Bo Hines, director of the US President's Crypto Advisory Council, confirmed that the inventory has been completed, but he did not commit to releasing the actual figures.
Senator Cynthia Lummis, a strong Bitcoin supporter in the US Senate, said that if this information is accurate, this is a "strategic failure" and will leave the United States behind in the race to hoard Bitcoin compared to other countries.
The Future of Bitcoin in US Financial Strategy
Despite the controversy, President Trump still expressed his optimistic about the future of cryptocurrency and reaffirmed the goal of making the US a leading power in this field. However, with the actual numbers being skeptical, the path for the US to assert its position in the global Bitcoin market is still full of challenges.
