US Congress Votes on 20-Year Bitcoin Holding Period

The US House Financial Services Committee is set to vote on the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026, which aims to formalize the federal government's Bitcoin reserve policy. Introduced in May and referred to the Financial Services Committee, the bill, H.R. 8957, would establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve within the Treasury Department alongside a Digital Asset Stockpile for federally controlled non-Bitcoin crypto assets.

Under the proposal, qualifying Bitcoin held by the federal government could be consolidated into the reserve, with a minimum 20-year holding period rather than being routinely sold. The legislation would also introduce greater transparency around federal digital asset holdings, requiring Treasury to provide recurring reports detailing Bitcoin held by the government and strengthening accountability through independent verification and congressional oversight provisions.

The bill builds on President Donald Trump's March 6, 2025 executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a separate U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile. Passing similar provisions into federal law would make the framework considerably harder for a future administration to reverse, as an executive order can be amended or rescinded by a subsequent president.

Wednesday's markup is significant, moving the proposal further into the legislative process and providing an early indication of congressional support for making the U.S. government's Bitcoin holdings a permanent strategic asset.