US Senator Cynthia Lummis on Tuesday pushed again after studies that the US Division of Justice moved and certain bought seized Bitcoin that some lawmakers anticipated to be held as a nationwide asset.
In accordance with on-chain monitoring and a number of information shops, about 57.55 BTC, roughly $6.3 million, was despatched to a Coinbase Prime account and the receiving pockets later confirmed a zero steadiness, an indication the cash have been in all probability liquidated.
Senator Lummis Raises Alarm
Primarily based on studies, Senator Cynthia Lummis mentioned she was “deeply involved” that the switch ran counter to a presidential directive issued earlier.
The directive, Government Order 14233 signed in March 2025, units out a plan to create a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and requires seized Bitcoin to be held moderately than bought.
Lummis, who chairs a Senate subcommittee on digital belongings, questioned why seized cash have been moved to an change custody account as an alternative of being positioned in reserve.
Why is the U.S. gov nonetheless liquidating bitcoin when @POTUS explicitly directed these belongings be preserved for our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve? We will’t afford to squander these strategic belongings whereas different nations are accumulating bitcoin. I’m deeply involved about this report. https://t.co/XW5WxsfliA
— Senator Cynthia Lummis (@SenLummis) January 6, 2026
On-Chain Strikes Level To Sale
Blockchain analysts flagged the motion after addresses tied to the seizure have been traced to Coinbase Prime. Experiences present the Coinbase deal with ended with a zero steadiness shortly after the switch, which many observers learn as an on-chain sign that the belongings have been bought.
Primarily based on studies, the switch concerned digital belongings seized from defendants linked to a current prison case, and the US Marshals Service executed the order from the Justice Division to maneuver the cash.
Market Response And Numbers
The market confirmed a small response across the time of the reported sale. Bitcoin’s worth dipped barely from about $94,760 to close $93,600 at one level, in response to worth snapshots cited by information websites.
The mentioned variety of BTC is a small fraction of complete circulating provide, however the commerce drew consideration due to the coverage questions it raised and the political backdrop of a nationwide reserve plan.
Questions About Coverage And The Reserve
Lawmakers and crypto coverage watchers now need clearer solutions about when and the way seized crypto is transformed to money. Experiences have referred to as for the Justice Division to elucidate its decision-making and to make clear whether or not present administration steerage requires holding seized Bitcoin for the Strategic Reserve.
Senator Lummis has pushed for formal guidelines and potential laws that will forestall related gross sales sooner or later.
To date, public statements from the Justice Division and the US Marshals Service have been restricted within the public document, whereas Lummis and different proponents of the reserve have pressed for transparency.
Primarily based on studies, some authorized specialists argue the federal government has discretion over forfeited property, whereas others say the brand new government directive ought to reshape that follow.
Featured picture from Pexels, chart from TradingView
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