U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said to the Senate Finance Committee that the Treasury is moving forward with a strategic Bitcoin reserve.
The move signals a significant shift in U.S. fiscal policy by integrating a decentralized digital asset into the national sovereign reserve. This transition aims to position the U.S. as a leading power in the global digital asset market.
Bessent said the Treasury is "proceeding with all deliberate speed" to implement the reserve. The effort follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in 2025 [2], though the Treasury is pushing to establish the reserve more than a year after that order was called for [1].
As part of this strategy, Bessent said he supports the Crypto CLARITY Act. This legislation is intended to provide the necessary legal framework for the reserve, and stablecoin regulation. The Treasury has set a target for the CLARITY Act to clear Congress by summer 2026 [3].
During his testimony, Bessent said the importance of following "best practices" [4] ensures the stability and security of the reserve. He described the broader objective as "a plan to make the US the dominant force" [5] in the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency and digital finance.
The development represents a coordinated effort between the executive branch and the Treasury to formalize the role of Bitcoin within the U.S. financial system. By leveraging legislative tools like the CLARITY Act, the administration seeks to create a regulated environment that supports the acquisition and holding of digital assets at a sovereign level.
“proceeding with all deliberate speed”
The establishment of a strategic Bitcoin reserve would mark the first time the U.S. government treats a cryptocurrency as a reserve asset similar to gold. By tying this initiative to the CLARITY Act, the administration is attempting to resolve long-standing regulatory ambiguities regarding digital assets, potentially triggering other nations to adopt similar sovereign crypto-reserves to remain competitive.
