US Treasury Explores Budget-Neutral Ways to Acquire Bitcoin for Strategic Reserve: Scott Bessent

Highlights:

• Scott Bessent said Treasury is still exploring cost-neutral ways to buy Bitcoin for the Reserve.
• Treasury explores budget-neutral methods to expand Bitcoin without burdening taxpayers.
• Senator Lummis noted that budget-neutral Bitcoin purchases might need congressional approval.

In an X post on Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that his department continues to examine budget-neutral methods for acquiring Bitcoin for the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. He said this aligns with the President’s vision of making the United States the “Bitcoin superpower of the world.” Increasing acquisitions would boost government holdings and strengthen U.S. influence in global cryptocurrency markets.

Bitcoin that has been finally forfeited to the federal government will be the foundation of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve that President Trump established in his March Executive Order.

In addition, Treasury is committed to exploring budget-neutral pathways to acquire more…

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) August 14, 2025

Bessent Plans Budget-Neutral Expansion of US Bitcoin Reserve

According to Bessent, Bitcoin acquired through criminal seizures and legal forfeitures will form the base of the Bitcoin Reserve. He added that the government is open to buying more Bitcoin using methods that won’t burden taxpayers or need new funds from Congress. 

This statement comes after Bessent said in a short Fox Business interview on Thursday morning that the government would not be purchasing additional Bitcoin for President Trump’s strategic reserve. Although no new Bitcoin has been bought, Bessent said the US isn’t planning to sell what it already holds. He told FOX Business the reserve is worth “somewhere between $15 billion and $20 billion.”

Bo Hines, ex-Executive Director of the Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets, stated that the Treasury is prioritizing strategies to expand Bitcoin holdings without increasing federal spending. These strategies aim to increase Bitcoin without putting extra pressure on the federal budget. He has suggested possible approaches such as implementing certain tariffs or revaluing gold to support the reserve. These proposals are still under review and have not yet moved beyond the exploration stage.

JUST IN: 🇺🇸 President Trump's Executive Director Bo Hines said the US may buy #Bitcoin using revenue from tariffs. pic.twitter.com/JxnYeFx170

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) April 15, 2025

Doubts Remain Over Treasury’s BTC Plans Despite Strategic Reserve

The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve was officially established in March following an Executive Order issued by President Trump. It was designed to manage digital assets in the U.S. Treasury using only Bitcoin taken through federal forfeitures. This system keeps the Bitcoin separate from other government assets and ensures it is stored and managed in a clear, controlled way. Concentrating solely on Bitcoin highlights its status as the leading cryptocurrency and reflects the administration’s aim to build a solid foundation for the nation’s digital assets.

While Bessent’s words calmed some Bitcoin supporters, others still doubted the Treasury would act. On X, Braiins CEO Eli Nagar commented that discussing “budget-neutral pathways” without taking action now seems like mere avoidance.

“Exploring” 🤣😂😅 https://t.co/rIY6ilh4u7

— Max Bitcoin (@maxkeiser) August 14, 2025

A possible factor slowing progress is that the Treasury may require congressional approval to acquire Bitcoin through budget-neutral methods. US Senator Cynthia Lummis highlighted this and urged Congress to review the BITCOIN Act she introduced in March.

After Bessent’s interview and hotter-than-expected PPI inflation data on Thursday, the crypto market turned red. Bitcoin plunged over 4%, sliding from above $121,000 to under $118,000 at one stage, and is now trading at $118,327, according to CoinMarketCap.