DOJ Confirms Seized Bitcoin from Samourai Wallet Case Remains Part of Strategic Reserve

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Source: CryptoBriefing Original Title: DOJ confirms seized Bitcoin from Samourai Wallet case has not been sold Original Link:

Key Takeaways

  • The US Department of Justice has confirmed that seized Bitcoin from the Samourai Wallet case will not be liquidated but will remain as part of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
  • US government holds roughly 328,000 Bitcoin in seized assets, according to onchain data.

The Department of Justice has confirmed that Bitcoin forfeited in the Samourai Wallet case has not been liquidated and will remain part of the US government’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

The confirmation was shared by Patrick Witt, executive director of the White House President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, who stated the assets will not be sold and will remain on the US government balance sheet under Executive Order 14233.

Concerns had emerged earlier this month after onchain analysts observed roughly $6.3 million in Bitcoin moved from a Samourai Wallet linked address to a major custodial platform, prompting speculation that the US Marshals Service or DOJ may have sold the assets. Witt said the transfers did not represent a liquidation and were permitted under the executive order.

Executive Order 14233 was signed by Donald Trump in March 2025 and explicitly bars US agencies from selling seized Bitcoin. The order established the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, marking a shift away from prior practices where forfeited crypto was routinely auctioned.

The forfeited assets stem from the prosecution of Samourai Wallet founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill, who faced charges in 2024 and 2025 tied to operating a privacy-focused Bitcoin mixing service. About 57 Bitcoin was forfeited as part of their plea agreement.

Onchain data indicates that the US government currently holds roughly 328,000 Bitcoin in seized and controlled assets as part of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, valued at about $31.2 billion at current prices near $95,000. The Samourai-related Bitcoin forms part of this broader pool of government-held BTC.

The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is managed by the US Treasury and is intended to hold seized Bitcoin as a long-term national asset rather than liquidating it into the market.

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RamenDeFiSurvivorvip
· 11h ago
Awesome, the US government is directly acting as a whale, locking up $3.2 billion worth of BTC and not selling. Are they planning to hold long-term?
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LeverageAddictvip
· 18h ago
The government is holding onto coins and not selling, I like this logic... feels like they've finally understood
View OriginalReply0
CrossChainMessengervip
· 18h ago
Oh no, the US government is preparing to hold long-term. It seems they also understand the value of BTC.
View OriginalReply0
GateUser-0717ab66vip
· 18h ago
Alright, this round of DOJ didn't screw us over. Holding on and not selling is the real move.
View OriginalReply0
SignatureVerifiervip
· 18h ago
ngl, the doj's "confirmation" here requires further auditing—what exactly does "remain" mean technically speaking? are we talking cold storage validation or just another press release with insufficient cryptographic proof? smh, 328k btc and they still haven't published the actual custody implementation details... statistically improbable they're following best practices here tbh
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ChainSauceMastervip
· 18h ago
Not selling? So when will the Federal Reserve raise or cut interest rates? Is this round settled?
View OriginalReply0
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