Market commentator Jim Cramer dropped a bombshell on CNBC's “Squawk on the Street”: the Trump administration may purchase Bitcoin at $60,000 to fill a proposed U.S. Strategic Reserve. “I heard at $60,000 the President is gonna fill the Bitcoin Reserve,” Cramer said Friday.
The remark came after a sharp sell-off earlier this week that briefly pushed BTC close to $60,000 before rebounding above $70,000. To execute a purchase at that cited price, Bitcoin would need to decline more than 15% from current levels.
Government Holdings and Legal Barriers
Arkham data shows the U.S. government holds 328,372 BTC, worth over $23 billion, with no recent changes. A March 2025 executive order mandates that the reserve must come from criminal and civil asset forfeitures, and deposited coins cannot be sold. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has repeatedly stressed that the federal government has no legal authority to bail out Bitcoin or compel banks to buy it, reinforcing that public funds cannot be used to acquire crypto assets.
This legal framework effectively blocks any direct government purchase scheme, making Cramer's $60,000 remark more of a market sentiment signal than a feasible plan.
Market Bets Rise
Despite the constraints, interest in a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is growing. Polymarket data shows the probability of such a reserve being established before 2027 has climbed from 23% in early January to 31%. Speculators appear to be betting on future policy changes — possibly through executive order amendments or congressional action.
At the time of reporting, Bitcoin was trading at $71,133.74, up roughly 3% over 24 hours. Price action and policy rumors remain tightly intertwined as traders watch Washington closely.