US Congress Advances Bill to Lock Up Government-Held Bitcoin

The US House Committee on Financial Services has voted to advance The American Reserve Modernization Act (ARMA) of 2026, which would require the government to hold all Bitcoin currently in its possession for at least 20 years. This move is one step closer to a House vote and could have significant implications for the cryptocurrency market.

The ARMA bill aims to address concerns about the fragmented and inconsistent custody of government-held Bitcoin, as well as the lack of accounting practices for digital assets. It would also require federal agencies to disclose their digital assets and create 'proof of reserve' reports.

Codifying a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve into law would be more powerful than President Donald Trump's executive order, which established such a reserve but could be reversed by his successor. The bill has passed along party lines with a 28-21 vote.