Trump's Bitcoin Reserve Plan Stalls as Federal Agencies Clash Over Control
Trump's executive order to create a U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve is stalled in interagency negotiations. Here's what DC insiders need to know.
In brief
The U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve exists on paper but not yet in practice. President Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to establish and maintain a Bitcoin reserve, but interagency disagreements over custody, management authority, and acquisition strategy have kept the initiative in bureaucratic limbo — a familiar fate for ambitious financial policy in Washington.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Trump's executive order on a U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve has not translated into a functioning reserve structure as of mid-2026.
The Treasury Department, Commerce Department, and other federal agencies remain in active — and unresolved — negotiations over governance and custody.
The reserve currently holds only Bitcoin seized through federal law enforcement, not newly acquired assets.
No congressional authorization has been passed to fund open-market Bitcoin purchases, creating a significant legal and budgetary constraint.
Washington's crypto lobbying apparatus, centered around K Street and Capitol Hill, is intensifying pressure on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
What Trump's Executive Order Actually Did — and Didn't Do
When Trump signed the executive order establishing a U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve in early 2025, crypto markets surged and advocates hailed it as a historic legitimization of digital assets at the federal level. The reality inside the Beltway proved messier. The order directed relevant agencies to develop a framework — it did not, on its own, appropriate funds, designate a custodian, or establish an acquisition strategy.
That gap between presidential directive and operational reality is now the central drama. Senior officials at the Treasury Department, which oversees the Office of Domestic Finance and has historically managed U.S. monetary reserves, are reportedly in tension with Commerce Department officials who see digital asset policy as an economic competitiveness issue. Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has raised questions about whether any open-market Bitcoin purchases require a direct congressional appropriation.
Without legislation from Capitol Hill, the reserve is effectively limited to the approximately 200,000 Bitcoin — worth roughly $20 billion at current valuations — that the federal government already holds through forfeitures in cases like the Silk Road prosecution and the Bitfinex hack seizure. That is a meaningful stockpile, but it falls far short of the sovereign-level accumulation that reserve advocates envisioned.
The Interagency Fight: Treasury vs. Commerce vs. Everyone Else
Washington runs on jurisdiction, and the Bitcoin reserve fight is fundamentally a turf war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has publicly expressed skepticism about aggressive Bitcoin accumulation, framing reserve management through a traditional monetary policy lens. Commerce, under its broader mandate to support American industrial and technological competitiveness, has pushed for a more expansionist posture — arguing the U.S. risks ceding ground to sovereign buyers in El Salvador, Bhutan, and potentially adversarial states.
The National Security Council has also inserted itself, per reporting from Politico, framing large-scale Bitcoin holdings as both a geopolitical asset and a potential sanctions-evasion vulnerability if adversaries acquire dominant positions in the network. That dual framing — asset and liability — has complicated the White House's ability to produce a unified policy document.
For DC insiders tracking the evolving politics of digital assets on the Hill, this pattern is recognizable: a bold presidential directive, followed by the gravitational pull of interagency process, followed by slow-motion negotiation that can stretch across an entire administration.
Congress: The Missing Piece That Could Unlock — or Kill — the Reserve
The cleanest path to a fully operational Bitcoin reserve runs through Congress, and that path is narrow. Legislation that would authorize the Treasury to purchase Bitcoin on the open market has been introduced in both chambers, most prominently the Bitcoin Act of 2025, sponsored by Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), which proposed acquiring up to 1 million Bitcoin over five years. The bill has not advanced out of committee.
On the House side, the Financial Services Committee, chaired by Rep. French Hill (R-AR), has held hearings on digital asset frameworks but has not moved reserve-specific legislation. Fiscal hawks in both parties remain uncomfortable with directing federal dollars into a volatile asset class, regardless of ideological affinity for deregulation.
According to CoinDesk, the interagency working group tasked with producing a policy recommendation has missed multiple internal deadlines, a detail that signals genuine disagreement rather than bureaucratic delay.
The Bitcoin reserve debate is not just a crypto story — it is a proxy war over who controls 21st-century monetary infrastructure. If Treasury wins the jurisdictional battle, the reserve will likely be managed conservatively, treated as a footnote to existing dollar-denominated reserves. If Commerce or a newly empowered White House crypto czar prevails, the U.S. could move toward active accumulation, fundamentally altering global Bitcoin markets and signaling a deeper realignment of U.S. financial strategy.
For the District specifically, the stakes land on K Street, where crypto lobbying shops — including Coinbase's government affairs arm, the Blockchain Association, and Digital Currency Group-aligned advocates — have poured resources into shaping the reserve framework. OpenSecrets data shows crypto lobbying expenditures reached record levels in the 2024 cycle and have not slowed. The reserve fight is, in part, the return on that investment — or the bill coming due.
The resolution of this interagency dispute will also set precedent for how Washington handles future digital asset questions: CBDCs, tokenized treasuries, stablecoin reserves. The Bitcoin reserve is the first test case, and the outcome will define the template. Stay current with WDCM's political influence rankings to see which players gain ground as this policy takes shape.
What to Watch Next
The interagency working group is expected to deliver a formal recommendation to the National Economic Council before the end of the third quarter of 2026. Whether that recommendation leads to an executive directive, a legislative push, or a quiet shelving of the more ambitious acquisition plans will define the reserve's legacy. Senator Lummis has signaled she will reintroduce a revised version of the Bitcoin Act with modified acquisition timelines designed to attract deficit-hawk support. And in the House, digital asset market structure legislation — if it passes — could include reserve provisions as a negotiating chip.
The bottom line: Trump's Bitcoin reserve is real as a concept and stalled as a policy. The Bitcoin the federal government already holds is secure. The vision of the U.S. as an aggressive sovereign Bitcoin accumulator remains aspirational until Congress acts or the White House forces a resolution to the interagency standoff. Washington has seen bold financial ideas die in committee before — and it has seen them resurface. Watch the Lummis bill, the NEC timeline, and the K Street money for early signals.
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Frequently Asked Questions: The U.S. Bitcoin Strategic Reserve
Does the United States currently have a Bitcoin strategic reserve? Technically yes, but only in a limited sense. The federal government holds approximately 200,000 Bitcoin seized through law enforcement actions. A formal, actively managed reserve with a governance structure and acquisition mandate does not yet exist — that framework is still being negotiated among federal agencies.
Which agencies are fighting over control of the Bitcoin reserve? The primary tension is between the Treasury Department and the Commerce Department, with input from the National Security Council and the Office of Management and Budget. Treasury favors a conservative custodial approach; Commerce has pushed for a more expansionist, competitiveness-driven strategy.
Does Congress need to approve Bitcoin purchases for the reserve? Most legal analysts believe open-market Bitcoin purchases using federal funds require a congressional appropriation. The Bitcoin Act of 2025, sponsored by Senator Cynthia Lummis, proposed the legislative mechanism, but it has not advanced out of committee as of mid-2026.
How much Bitcoin does the U.S. government hold? The federal government holds approximately 200,000 Bitcoin, accumulated primarily through forfeitures in criminal cases including the Silk Road prosecution and the 2022 Bitfinex hack seizure. At mid-2026 valuations, that stockpile is worth roughly $20 billion.
Who is lobbying for the Bitcoin reserve in Washington? Major crypto industry players including Coinbase, the Blockchain Association, and Digital Currency Group-affiliated advocates have been active on the Hill and at federal agencies. Crypto lobbying spending reached record levels in the 2024 election cycle and has continued at an elevated pace into 2026.
What happens if the interagency process fails to produce a policy? If no resolution is reached, the reserve remains a law enforcement forfeiture stockpile with no active management mandate. The White House could force a resolution via a follow-on executive order, or the initiative could stall indefinitely pending congressional action — a scenario that would disappoint crypto advocates who viewed the original order as a turning point.
Reporting drawn from: CoinDesk. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
