US government missed $17B profit by liquidating Bitcoin instead of holding

The US government may have missed out on a staggering $17 billion by liquidating its Bitcoin holdings instead of holding them long-term, according to White House AI and Crypto Tzar David Sacks.

In a March 6 post on X, Sacks referenced an AI chatbot Grok analysis, which showed that the federal authorities offloaded Bitcoin on multiple occasions between June 2014 and March 2023, with total sales reaching 195,091.75 BTC.

The proceeds from these transactions amounted to roughly $366.49 million, though prices varied at different points.

However, if the government had retained the assets until March 2025, their estimated value would have climbed to $17.6 billion at Bitcoin’s current price of $90,204 per BTC. This suggests a missed profit of more than $17.2 billion.

A significant portion of these Bitcoin sales came from confiscated assets, including those tied to the infamous Silk Road case. The varying timing of these liquidations played a key role in limiting potential returns.

Sacks argued that this short-term approach had significantly cost American taxpayers. He pointed out the lack of a long-term Bitcoin strategy, highlighting how poor timing in asset liquidation had reduced potential returns.

Despite these sales, data from BitcoinTreasuries shows that the US government still holds 198,109, valued at approximately $17.80 billion based on current market prices.

US Bitcoin Holdings in the Last 5 Years. (Source: Bitcoin Treasuries)

Meanwhile, Sacks’ comments emerge as the Donald Trump-led US government explores the creation of a crypto reserve, which would include Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana. This move hints at a shift in strategy, possibly recognizing the long-term value of digital assets.

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