US lawmakers have brought back the push for a national Bitcoin reserve through the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026, or ARMA. The bill is led by Representatives Nick Begich and Jared Golden and is intended to write President Donald Trump’s earlier executive order on government-held Bitcoin reserves into federal law while broadening the framework.
Under the proposal, the Treasury Department would formally establish a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and maintain a separate Digital Asset Stockpile for other cryptocurrencies already held by the federal government. Backers of the measure argue that Bitcoin should be handled as a strategic reserve asset comparable to gold as digital assets become more embedded in the global financial system.
ARMA builds on the earlier BITCOIN Act
The legislation follows the structure of the BITCOIN Act introduced in 2025, but repackages it under the wider ARMA label in an effort to attract broader political support. Jared Golden said digital currencies are no longer a fringe phenomenon, noting that individuals, businesses, and governments already hold and trade them, while Congress has yet to set a federal policy for handling those assets.
Public reporting on the bill says the plan includes a Treasury-backed strategic reserve, a separate federal stockpile for other digital assets, and an effort to explore acquiring up to 1 million BTC over five years. It also includes long-term holding rules for reserve assets.
A 20-year holding structure is a central feature
One of the bill’s most notable elements is a reported 20-year holding structure for reserve Bitcoin. That design would sharply limit the government’s ability to sell those holdings except under specific conditions, including debt reduction. Supporters say this is meant to frame Bitcoin as a long-term sovereign reserve asset rather than a speculative position.
The renewed effort also reflects a shift in how some US policymakers are discussing Bitcoin. In this version of the debate, Bitcoin is being placed closer to commodities, gold reserves, and sovereign wealth assets than to the purely speculative category that often defined earlier policy discussions.
Linked to Trump’s 2025 executive order
ARMA follows Trump’s March 2025 executive order that established the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the United States Digital Asset Stockpile. That order instructed federal agencies to consolidate and account for digital assets already obtained through forfeitures and seizures, while also examining “budget-neutral” ways to expand Bitcoin holdings.
Public estimates cited in reporting suggest wallets controlled by the US government may already hold more than 300,000 BTC, largely from confiscated assets tied to criminal and enforcement cases. If ARMA passes, the reserve framework would move beyond executive action and become part of federal statute.
Bitcoin price showed little immediate reaction
At the time of writing, the news had not produced a clear market response. The source said Bitcoin had been trading around $76,000 over the previous 24 hours. Passage of the bill would not guarantee an immediate repricing, but it would shift the reserve concept from policy direction into law.