Arkham, a crypto intelligence platform specializing in deanonymizing entities on the blockchain network, has unveiled data showcasing the United States government as one of the largest cryptocurrency holders globally, alongside countries like the United Kingdom and Germany.
According to the data, the US government emerges as the foremost Bitcoin holder among global states tracked by Arkham, possessing approximately 212,847 BTC, valued at around $15 billion based on current market prices.
In an announcement on April 12, Arkham introduced a dashboard highlighting governments with substantial crypto holdings. The platform identified the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany as among the largest countries in terms of crypto reserves.
Notably, the data underscores the US government’s continued accumulation of Bitcoin over the past few years, with at least 5,000 BTC added since early 2023.
A substantial portion of the US government’s Bitcoin holdings is derived from confiscations related to dark web marketplace Silk Road, its hacker Jimmy Zhong, and the hackers of the crypto exchange Bitfinex.
This newly introduced tracking tool by Arkham allows individuals to monitor real-time balances and transaction histories for cryptocurrencies held by governments.
In addition to Bitcoin, the US government also holds approximately $200 million in other cryptocurrencies such as Ether (ETH), as well as major stablecoins like USDC and Tether. The UK government, ranked second, holds 61,245 BTC valued at around $4.5 billion, while the German government owns 49,858 BTC, equivalent to roughly $3.5 billion.
In contrast, the government of El Salvador, the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender in September 2021, holds significantly fewer BTC compared to other countries tracked by Arkham. According to the data, the Salvadoran government holds 5,717 BTC, valued at $405 million.
