69,000 BTC Set for US Gov’t Sale—What’s Next for Bitcoin Prices?

• The U.S. government is preparing to sell 69,370 BTC following a Supreme Court decision that effectively ends a lengthy legal dispute over the ownership of these crypto assets.
• The sale of such a massive volume of Bitcoin, valued at over $6.5 billion by the U.S. government, is expected to introduce substantial selling pressure on the market.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has received court approval to liquidate approximately 69,370 Bitcoins, valued at around $6.5 billion, which could mark one of the largest crypto sales in history. Seized from the Silk Road darknet marketplace, the Bitcoin stash has been at the center of a protracted legal battle. 

The court ruling on December 30 dismissed claims from Battle Born Investments, a Nevada-based firm that had sought ownership through a bankruptcy estate and attempted to delay the sale. The U.S. Marshals Service is expected to oversee the process, though federal asset forfeiture procedures require several administrative steps before the sale is finalized. Around $2 billion worth of seized Silk Road Bitcoins were transferred to Coinbase on December 3, 2024, indicating preparations for their liquidation.

The Legal Backstory

The origins of this Bitcoin stash date back to the shutdown of the Silk Road in 2013 after being founded in 2011. Silk Road was a darknet marketplace that facilitated illegal transactions. These particular Bitcoins were tied to a wallet known as “1HQ3,” controlled by an individual referred to in court documents as “Individual X.” Battle Born Investments claimed ownership of the Bitcoins through a 2018 agreement to purchase assets tied to a bankruptcy estate. 

After years of litigation, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled in 2022 that the Bitcoins were subject to government forfeiture. This decision was upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in August 2023, which stated that Battle Born lacked standing to challenge the forfeiture. After a series of appeals, the Supreme Court denied Battle Born’s petition for a writ of certiorari on October 7, 2024, effectively clearing the way for the U.S. government to sell the assets.

Bitcoin Prices Under Pressure

While the exact timing of the liquidation remains uncertain, traders and market participants are increasingly worried about the potential downward pressure on Bitcoin’s price this massive sale could exert.

For instance, in October 2024, Bitcoin’s price fell by 2% when the Supreme Court declined to hear Battle Born’s appeal. At the time, bitcoin was trading at $60,900, with the broader cryptocurrency market experiencing a 3% drop in total market capitalization.

Currently, Bitcoin is trading at $93,912, reflecting a 1.65% decrease in the last 24 hours and a 1.84% dip over the past week. Market analysts fear the influx of over $6 billion worth of Bitcoin could exacerbate short and long-term price volatility.

With President-elect Donald Trump poised to take office in under two weeks, the timing of this decision adds a layer of political complexity. Trump, an outspoken advocate for Bitcoin, has previously championed the idea of a national Bitcoin reserve. At a Nashville conference in July 2024, he urged holders to retain their Bitcoin and introduced plans for a strategic “Bitcoin stockpile.”

However, the DOJ’s decision to proceed with the sale appears to contradict these aspirations. Trump’s upcoming administration may face criticism for allowing such a significant portion of seized Bitcoins to be liquidated rather than retained as a strategic asset.