A White House crypto advisor has pushed back on market rumors, saying the U.S. government has not sold any Bitcoin seized in the Samourai Wallet case, despite recent on-chain activity that sparked speculation.
Patrick Witt, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, said he received direct confirmation from the Department of Justice that the forfeited Bitcoin remains untouched.
“We have received confirmation from DOJ that the digital assets forfeited by Samourai Wallet have not been liquidated and will not be liquidated,” Witt wrote on X on Friday. He added that the Bitcoin will remain part of the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
Transfer Triggered Sale Fears
The clarification follows renewed scrutiny in November, when blockchain analysts noticed a 57.5 BTC transfer from a government-controlled wallet to a Coinbase Prime deposit address. The move quickly fueled rumors that U.S. authorities had sold — or were preparing to sell — the Bitcoin.
Those concerns were heightened by Executive Order 14233, signed by President Donald Trump in March. The order explicitly states that Bitcoin obtained through criminal or civil forfeiture must not be sold and should instead be held in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
Some market participants accused the U.S. Marshals Service of violating the directive. The DOJ’s latest clarification now directly counters those claims.
U.S. Remains One of the World’s Largest Bitcoin Holders
Public data suggests the U.S. government continues to be one of the largest Bitcoin holders globally. According to Bitcoin Treasuries, federal authorities control roughly 328,372 BTC, worth more than $31 billion at current prices.
That total includes 127,271 BTC forfeited in October from a Cambodia-based entity accused of operating a large-scale “pig-butchering” investment scam.
Witt reiterated that expanding the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve remains a policy priority. In a recent interview, he said progress depends on coordination between the Treasury and Commerce Departments to resolve outstanding legal and operational hurdles.
Lawmakers are also pushing ahead. A bill sponsored by Senator Cynthia Lummis would accelerate reserve accumulation, targeting the acquisition of up to 1 million Bitcoin over five years, using budget-neutral methods designed to avoid taxpayer costs.
Trump Floats Possible Pardon in Samourai Case
The Samourai Wallet case has also taken on political overtones.
Two developers behind the privacy-focused Bitcoin wallet were sentenced to prison in November after prosecutors said the platform processed more than $237 million in criminal proceeds. Keonne Rodriguez received a five-year sentence on Nov. 6, while his co-developer, Hill, was sentenced to four years on Nov. 19. Both were ordered to forfeit about $6.3 million in fees.
In December, President Trump said he would consider pardoning Rodriguez, telling reporters during a Dec. 16 Oval Office event that he had “heard about it” and had asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to review the case.
Rodriguez later welcomed the comments, calling the prosecution “lawfare” and accusing the Biden administration of weaponizing the Justice Department.
Trump has previously issued high-profile crypto-related pardons, including Ross Ulbricht and Changpeng Zhao, raising speculation that Rodriguez could receive similar clemency.
