The US House Appropriations Committee has advanced the 2026 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act (H.R. 5166), which includes a directive for the Treasury Department to study the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and broader digital asset stockpile.
The bill requires the Treasury to deliver reports within 90 days addressing custody solutions, cybersecurity protections, and accounting practices for digital assets. This is the first instance of Bitcoin being formally introduced into US fiscal debates.
Scope of the Treasury Reports
Sections 137 and 138 of the bill instruct the Treasury to:
- Assess potential barriers to holding Bitcoin and digital assets.
- Identify possible custody partners.
- Outline how such assets would be reflected on the federal balance sheet.
Additionally, the Treasury and the National Security Agency (NSA) must provide a classified report on coordination in digital asset management, underscoring the national security implications of cryptocurrencies.
Political and Market Context
The directive arrives amid intensified regulatory discussions. Senator Ruben Gallego recently unveiled a framework proposing CFTC oversight of non-security digital assets alongside new consumer protections.
The bill also prohibits the Treasury from using allocated funds to design or develop a central bank digital currency (CBDC), signaling that lawmakers prefer exploring Bitcoin’s role without committing to sweeping monetary reforms.
Trump Family Crypto Ventures Under Scrutiny
Crypto politics also remain in the spotlight. Reports from BeInCrypto reveal that the Trump family’s WLFI token launch briefly increased their net worth by $5 billion, fueling debate about political influence in crypto markets.
At the same time, Eric Trump has positioned himself as a vocal advocate for Bitcoin, predicting at a Seoul event that cryptocurrency growth will be “explosive” within the next 12 to 18 months. He described Bitcoin as a hedge against the real estate market.
Nasdaq Pushes Tokenized Securities
Beyond government moves, market infrastructure is also adapting. Nasdaq President Tal Cohen announced that the exchange has filed with the SEC to enable tokenized securities trading, stressing that innovation must advance without sacrificing investor trust.
Enforcement, Sanctions, and Crypto Crime
The appropriations bill allocates $230 million to the Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, including funds to test AI for sanctions enforcement
Just days earlier, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Southeast Asian criminal networks responsible for stealing over $10 billion from Americans in fraudulent crypto investment schemes linked to human trafficking.
“These cyber scams not only threaten Americans’ financial security but also fuel modern slavery,” said John K. Hurley, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
What’s Next for Bitcoin in US Policy?
By directing the Treasury to study a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, Congress has brought Bitcoin into the heart of fiscal and security policy for the first time. The forthcoming reports will shape whether Bitcoin evolves into a reserve tool, remains a regulatory challenge, or both.
