News

The Reasons Behind the U.S. Government’s $2 Billion Bitcoin Transaction

single-image

The transfer happens after the government files a forfeiture notice from January 2024.

  • Recently, a US government bitcoin wallet moved some of its contents.
  • One of the biggest Bitcoin holders is the US government.
  • After a flash crash, Bitcoin is presently swaying below its all-time high (ATH).

Stay in the know on crypto by frequently visiting Crypto News Today

Resurgent activity has emerged across many influential wallets, marked by asset transfers and significant liquidations, as a result of the current rollercoaster in the cryptocurrency market. Some of the largest Bitcoin holders have recently gotten active again after months of inactivity, highlighting significant changes in their holdings and the ensuing effect on prices.

CryptoCaster Quick Check:

The US government is among the biggest Bitcoin holders, and it has made significant asset transfers to join the group. But why is Bitcoin being moved in the US?

Bitcoin Transfer by the US Government

A wallet bearing the name “U.S. Government: Silk Road DOJ Confiscated Funds” and holding more than 30,100 bitcoins has seen a recent spike in transfer activity, according to data from Arkham Intelligence on Tuesday, April 2.

Advertisement

The transactions, which were valued at about $2 billion at the time of publication, started with a test transfer of 0.001 BTC to a Coinbase Prime wallet, which was worth $65. Later, 1,999 BTC was sent to the same address. The transfers then went on with a second one, sending 29,800 BTC, or roughly $1.9 billion, to a different address.

Although the government’s motivation for the transfer has come under scrutiny, the 2,000 BTC comes after a notice of forfeiture that was filed earlier this year, indicating efforts to carry out the planned sale. The US Department of Justice began proceedings on January 10, 2024, for the two-part sale of 2,934 Bitcoin that had been seized from Ryan Farace and Sean Bridges, two drug traffickers who had been found guilty of using the dark web marketplace.

The US government’s transfer of Bitcoin to Coinbase is similar to how it has previously used the exchange to sell off assets, like the 9,861 BTC sale in 2022. This suggests even more that it may be working to complete the sale of some of its properties connected to the Silk Road.

The 2,000 Bitcoin transfer that made headlines is a small portion of the government’s multibillion dollar bitcoin holdings, despite its significance.

US is Among the Biggest Bitcoin Owners

The bulk of the US government’s stash is made up of assets that were taken from convicted criminal actors, in contrast to many whales whose portfolios are made up of Bitcoin that has been purchased. Among the noteworthy confiscations made by the government are the 69,370 Bitcoin that were taken from the Silk Road in August 2023. This confiscation included other Bitcoin assets, such as Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Bitcoin Gold (BTG), and Bitcoin SV (BSV).

Advertisement

The government’s more than 200,000 BTC hoard also includes criminal confiscations, such as the October 2023 seizure of 94,643 BTC connected to the Bitfinex hack in which 120,000 BTC were stolen in 2016.

Satoshi Nakamoto, with between 750,000 and 1,100,000 BTC, Binance, with 643,546 BTC, Grayscale Investments, with 335,153.8 BTC, and MicroStrategy, with a portfolio that contains over 214,246 BTC, all have more BTC than the US government does.

This is Significant

Regular transactions in whale wallets, such as the US government’s, are uncommon, making such transfers extremely noticeable. Major asset movements are further given significance by factors like the industry’s continuous downward trend and increased market sensitivity.


CryptoCaster™ steadfastly upholds its dedication to keeping our global audience well-informed about the ongoing adoption of blockchain technology, as well as the latest hurdles emerging from government-controlled fiat financial systems, banking conglomerates, and other major institutional entities. Our commitment extends to providing comprehensive updates and insights into how these developments affect the broader landscape of digital currencies, the potential regulatory impacts on blockchain innovations, and the evolving dynamics between traditional financial institutions and emerging cryptocurrency markets. By staying at the forefront of these critical issues, CryptoCaster™ aims to empower our audience with the knowledge needed to navigate the complex interplay of technology, regulation, and finance in the modern world. CRYPTOCASTER® - DECENTRALIZED FREEDOM! 


We hope you appreciated this article. Before you move on, I was hoping you would consider taking the step of supporting CryptoCaster’s journalism. 

From  Elon Musk, Larry Fink(BlackRock) to Jamie Dimon(JP Morgan Chase) a number of billionaire owners have a powerful hold on so much of the hidden agendas’ which eludes the public concerning the paradigm shift juxtaposed by cryptocurrency and web3 emerging technologies. CryptoCaster is different. We have no billionaire owner or shareholders to consider. Our journalistic efforts are produced to serve the public interest in crypto development and institutional disruptions – not profit motives.

And we avoid the trap that befalls much U.S. and global media – the tendency, born of a desire to please all sides, to engage in false equivalence in the name of neutrality and retail consumer protection. While fairness and transparency dictates everything we do, we know there is a right and a wrong position in the fight against fiat global banking interest and monetary reconstruction precipitated by the emerging crypto ecology.

When we report on issues like the FTX, Binance and Ripple crisis, we’re not afraid to name who or what is uncovered. And as a crypto sentinel, we’re able to provide a fresh, outsider perspective on the global monetary disruption – one so often missing from the insular American and European media bubble. 

Around the world, readers can access the CryptoCaster’s paywall-free journalism because of our unique reader-supported model. That’s because of people like you. Our readers keep us independent, beholden to no outside influence and accessible to everyone – whether they can afford to pay for news and information, or not.

We thankyou for the on-going support our readers have bestowed monetarily. If you have not considered supporting CryptoCaster, if you can, please consider supporting us just once from $1 or more of Bitcoin (satoshi) or Eth, and better yet, support us every month with a little more. Scroll further down this page to obtain CryptoCaster’s wallet addresses.

Thank you.

Kristin Steinbeck
Editor, CryptoCaster


Please Read Essential Disclaimer Information Here.
© 2024 Crypto Caster provides information. CryptoCaster.world does not provide investment advice. Do your research before taking a market position on the purchase of cryptocurrency and other asset classes. Past performance of any asset is not indicative of future results. All rights reserved.


Contribute to CryptoCaster℠ Via Metamask or favorite wallet. Send Coin/Token to Addresses Provided Below.
Thank you!
BTC – bc1qgdnd752esyl4jv6nhz3ypuzwa6wav9wuzaeg9g
ETH – 0x7D8D76E60bFF59c5295Aa1b39D651f6735D6413D
MATIC – 0x7D8D76E60bFF59c5295Aa1b39D651f6735D6413D
LITECOIN – ltc1qxsgp5fykl0007hnwgl93zr9vngwd2jxwlddvqt


CRYPTOCASTER HEATMAP


You may also like