The 2024 US elections have brought a lot of attention to cryptocurrencies, with Donald Trump presenting himself as a pro-crypto candidate. After the US election results were announced, Donald Trump’s victory became a highlight in the crypto landscape. You can notice that the Trump Bitcoin correlation is playing positively for investors, with Bitcoin price reaching the all-time high of $100,000.
In fact, Trump had urged attendees at the Bitcoin conference in June 2024 to never sell their Bitcoin. Donald Trump also proposed the idea of a national Bitcoin reserve at the same conference. With Trump taking office in January 2025, the United States may see the formation of a national Bitcoin reserve. Let’s learn all about the national Bitcoin reserve that has been making headlines.
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Is the national Bitcoin reserve just an election promise?
President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election has sparked discussions about the possibilities of integrating cryptocurrency into the country’s economic strategy. During his election campaign, Trump came up with the idea of creating a national Bitcoin reserve and creating a dedicated role in the White House for the cryptocurrency. Following his victory, the crypto industry and investors are awaiting the materialization of the many promises made by Trump during the 2024 campaign.
Some critics of the Bitcoin National Strategic Reserve have suggested that such a move is solely intended to suit Trump’s political interests. In fact, some experts have suggested that the national Bitcoin reserve may pose economic risks to the US government and citizens. It is also important to note that many big players in the crypto industry paid millions for Trump’s presidential campaign. Is the promise of a national Bitcoin reserve just an election gimmick?
It would be too early to assume that the idea of a national Bitcoin reserve will disappear after Trump takes office. You should know that Trump has proven his commitment to the pro-crypto promises made during his campaign. The Republican candidate announced he would form a crypto advisory council with some of the nation’s top industry experts.
Trump has also nominated pro-crypto lawmakers such as Scott Bessent as his nominee for the Treasury Department. He also named venture capitalist David Sacks as a White House AI and crypto advisor. The president-elect also put David Sacks in charge of creating a legal framework for the crypto space. Decisions made by Trump after his victory suggest that promises of a national Bitcoin reserve could become reality.
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Understanding the Meaning of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
The term “Bitcoin strategic reserve” is practically explained as a Bitcoin stock created with a strategy. Any strategic reserve is a set of external assets which remains under the control of the financial authorities. The basic concepts of a national Bitcoin reserve, explained in simple terms, will have similarities to gold or oil reserves. Strategic national reserves help meet the need to pay the balance of payments or influence the exchange rate by intervening in foreign exchange markets.
The national Bitcoin reserve will be almost the same as the gold and foreign currency reserves of central banks. The concept of a strategic Bitcoin reserve will add Bitcoin to a set of assets on the United States balance sheet. It will aim to diversify existing reserves, thus giving a new direction to the economic policy of the American government.
As of now, there is no clear plan for the proposed national Bitcoin reserve and this has sparked significant speculation. One of the notable concerns regarding the Bitcoin reserve is the question of the authority responsible for managing the reserve. Another important concern related to the Bitcoin reserve is the method of payment for the Bitcoin that will enter the reserve. The US government can buy Bitcoin by selling other assets such as bonds and gold, thereby increasing debt.
The reserve will also include Bitcoin seized by the US administration, which will add almost 208,000 Bitcoins. Another option for adding Bitcoin to the reserve is the expansion of the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet. The technique of “printing money” will also constitute one of the alternatives to the creation of the national Bitcoin reserve.
Investigating Strong Steps to Create National Bitcoin Reserve
The definition of the national Bitcoin reserve and methods for creating a demo show that there are currently no specific plans for the reserve. One of the proven proposals that could guide the formation of the national Bitcoin reserve was presented by Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis. She is responsible for introducing the Bitcoin Act of 2024 to the Senate. Cynthia’s proposal suggests that the Treasury and Federal Reserve purchase 200,000 Bitcoins per year for five years.
The proposal shows the promise of turning the United States into one of the national Bitcoin reserve countries with 1 million units in their reserve. With 1 million Bitcoin units in a national reserve, the United States will hold approximately 5% of the global Bitcoin supply. In subsequent stages, the government will maintain the reserve for 20 years. The proposal emphasizes that the reserve will function as a hedge against depreciation in the value of the US dollar. This will be a valuable initiative to support future debt problems and strengthen national balance sheets.
The Bitcoin Act of 2024 provides two different mechanisms for purchasing Bitcoin. In the first method, profits from the US central banking system will help buy Bitcoin. The second method of the proposal suggests that the central banks of each state revalue their gold certificates. This will help to better understand the value of gold in the existing market. Subsequently, state central banks must direct the surplus to the Treasury which will use the funds to purchase Bitcoin.
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Learn from examples from other countries
American citizens, investors, lawmakers, and analysts may have many apprehensions about the introduction of a national Bitcoin reserve. On the other hand, the examples of other countries that have successfully created Bitcoin reserves can serve as an ideal guide. You might have questions like “How long does the domestic Bitcoin ATM take?” » after setting up a Bitcoin reserve. The example of El Salvador can help you find the answers to many of your doubts regarding a Bitcoin reserve.
El Salvador is the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021. It has accumulated around 5,900 Bitcoins, worth over $560 million. The Kingdom of Bhutan is the next big player with a Bitcoin reserve of over 12,000 Bitcoins. The United Kingdom is also another leader in Bitcoin collection with a stash of over $61,000 worth of Bitcoin.
China is also one of the largest holders of Bitcoin without any official reserves. The country’s approach to increasing its Bitcoin reserve may be adopted in the United States. The Chinese government confiscated approximately 194,000 Bitcoins from a Ponzi scheme in 2020. The US government may also follow in China’s footsteps and use regulatory frameworks to crack down on malicious agencies. This will help collect large amounts of Bitcoin for the country’s strategic national reserve.
Exploring the Impact of the Bitcoin Reserve on the US Government
You might have doubts about the impact of the national Bitcoin reserve on the US government. It is important to know the implications of the reserve on the risk profile of the US Treasury and public debt. The National Strategic Bitcoin Reserve will help serve as a hedge against inflation. The Treasury can use it as a reliable tool to diversify its reserves strategy. However, Bitcoin price volatility requires strong risk management strategies to be implemented to find a solution to price fluctuations.
The national Bitcoin reserve will also impact the US government debt. Rating agencies will need to reassess the risk profile of the US Treasury. Bitcoin may not perform as effectively as gold on credit rating criteria such as stability, security and liquidity. Credit rating downgrades can cause Treasury yields to rise, thereby increasing the cost of debt. U.S. debt instruments, traditionally considered safe havens, are likely to face increased scrutiny from conservative investors.
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Final Thoughts
The promise of a pro-crypto government could have brought Donald Trump back to power in the 2024 presidential elections. As president-elect, Donald Trump has shown that he intends to keep his promises to create a national Bitcoin reserve. The National Bitcoin Reserve proposal explained that it would accumulate 1 million Bitcoins in five years.
Donald Trump believes that the national Bitcoin reserve will help the US government stay one step ahead of China. Supporters of the Bitcoin reserve proposal suggest it could reduce the US national debt without raising taxes. On the other hand, critics suggest that government involvement in Bitcoin may cause a chain reaction when purchasing Bitcoin. The chain reactions could ultimately lead to a massive collapse in the value of the dollar. Learn more about the National Bitcoin Reserve and its implications for the United States now.
*Disclaimer: The article should not be considered and is not intended to provide investment advice. The claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. 101 Blockchains will not be liable for any loss suffered by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!