The debate surrounding the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) in the United States continues to gain momentum. John E. Deaton, a prominent attorney known for advocating on behalf of XRP, has shared insights into what it would take to establish such a reserve. Deaton emphasized that the legal and regulatory framework will play a critical role in determining the future of a national digital asset stockpile.
John Deaton Stance on Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
In a bid to clear the air on the “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” term, Pro XRP lawyer John E. Deaton weighed in on the matter. To him, the meaning of an SBR differ depending on the context in which it is being used. Deaton also noted that an SBR can simply consist in keeping the seized Bitcoin and other digital currencies in a virtual vault instead of selling them.
In addition, he said this could be done under the overseeing of the president through the issuance of an executive order.
John Deaton said, “If you want to call that a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, then I am sure that we will get one.” However, he noted that in case of an SBR where government is directly buying Bitcoin, this would require a law. He mentioned the bill proposed by Senator Cynthia Lummis as an example of how such a policy could be implemented. Moreover, with Senator Cynthia Lummis’ new role as chair in the Senate’s Digital Assets Subcommittee, experts including Binance founder CZ have shown optimism for the strategic Bitcoin reserve.
Trump’s Executive Order and “Stockpile” Terminology
President Donald Trump has recently issued an executive order which is aimed at the creation of a national digital asset reserve. The order created a working group that was to study the possibility of developing and maintaining such a stockpile. The language of the order only indicated the term “stockpile” not “reserve.”
According to Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart, there was a difference between these two terms: “Trump was very particular even as far back as this summer at the Bitcoin conference to say ‘Stockpile’ and not ‘Reserve.’” This points more towards the administration not being in the market to buy Bitcoin but rather to keep certain assets within the government.
The working group is expected to recommend guidelines for the stockpile control, which may involve assets acquired in accordance with the law enforcement activities.
During these speculations, Pierre Rochard, the Vice President of Research at Riot Platforms, stated that Ripple Labs has been against the formation of a Bitcoin-centric reserve. Rochard alleged that the company was using its power to advance its own digital currency, XRP, over Bitcoin, which is something that the CEO of Ripple has dismissed.
Status of U.S. Government Crypto Holdings
Concurrrently, data from Arkham Intelligence reveals the extent of cryptocurrency holdings currently under U.S. government control. These holdings are mainly the property acquired through the police operations. Currently, the government’s digital asset portfolio consists of 198,109 BTC with a market capitalization of about $20 billion and lesser amounts of Ethereum, stablecoins, and other tokens..
The executive order as a result does not impose on the government to keep all these assets for an unspecified period. Instead, it prescribes the need to develop guidelines that can be used to determine which assets should be kept. Analyst Alex Thorn highlighted that the language of the order suggests that not all the seized assets would be permanently retained.
Similarly, Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart has also noted the feasibility of this approach, saying, “Honestly a very logical and measured approach to this, in my opinion.”
Kelvin Munene Murithi
Kelvin is a distinguished writer with expertise in crypto and finance, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science. Known for his incisive analysis and insightful content, he possesses a strong command of English and excels in conducting thorough research and delivering timely cryptocurrency market updates.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
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