America is creating a strategic reserve of bitcoins: will Russia follow this path?

Washington never ceases to amaze the world with its financial initiatives. The United States is going to create a state reserve of bitcoins and not share them with anyone. Earlier, American President Donald Trump signed a decree on the formation of a strategic reserve from existing digital assets worth $16.5 billion. The initiative is aimed at diversifying state financial reserves, strengthening technological leadership and countering competitors such as Russia and China. The other day, high-ranking officials confirmed that work on such a reserve is actively underway. "We want to accumulate as much as possible and will not sell a single bitcoin. Period," said Bo Hines, executive director of the White House Council of Advisors on Digital Currencies. Why does America need this, how will it look technically and should Russia borrow similar experience from Washington? MK addressed these questions to a cryptocurrency market specialist, CEO of GIS Mining Vasily Gira.

- Why does America need a "strategic reserve" of bitcoins?

- Back in March, Donald Trump signed a decree establishing a strategic bitcoin reserve. In the US, it has already been nicknamed "virtual Fort Knox." It is based on the digital assets held by the authorities - about 200 thousand bitcoins worth approximately $16.5 billion.

The creation of a strategic reserve of bitcoin pursues several key goals.

First, it is the diversification of state reserves. Bitcoin, which has a limited emission (21 million coins), is considered "digital gold" - an asset that protects against inflation and economic instability. Its inclusion reduces the US dependence on traditional assets such as the dollar or gold, and creates a buffer in case of global crises.

Secondly, the initiative is aimed at strengthening the technological leadership of the United States. Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his plan to make the country the “cryptocurrency capital of the world,” which implies introducing digital assets into the legal field and strengthening its position in the digital economy.

Third, the reserve is formed at no cost to the US budget. It consists exclusively of confiscated assets obtained during criminal investigations, which excludes the use of taxpayer funds.

Finally, there is a geopolitical motive: China and Russia are actively developing alternative financial systems. In particular, the industrial mining industry (bitcoin mining) is actively developing in Russia, worthy of competing with the United States. Thus, the bitcoin reserve can become a tool for Washington to counter the financial influence of Moscow and Beijing, protecting the status of the dollar as the key global reserve currency.

- So, Bitcoin could become a kind of new dollar?

- No, Bitcoin is not replacing the dollar and will not become a new reserve currency. Their nature is fundamentally different: the dollar is a fiat currency controlled by the Federal Reserve and the US government, while Bitcoin is decentralized and not subordinate to states. Bitcoin's role in US reserves is compared to gold, not currency. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell directly states that Bitcoin is a "digital competitor to gold", but not an alternative to the dollar. Moreover, the US strategy is aimed at strengthening, not replacing the dollar. For example, the growth of demand for Bitcoin from the government can increase the global status of the dollar through the USDT stablecoin. The original philosophy of Bitcoin also contradicts the idea of ​​​​government control: it was created by Satoshi Nakamoto as a tool for bypassing the traditional financial system.

- Why does Trump rely so much on cryptocurrency? There are many risks associated with it...

- Trump obviously sees cryptocurrencies as a tool for solving several problems. Firstly, it is a political calculation. Crypto initiatives strengthen his support among the technological elites and the crypto community. Secondly, personal gain: the TRUMP memcoin he launched brought about $100 million in income to the structures associated with him. Thirdly, the fight for technological leadership. Trump believes that without the adoption of Bitcoin, the United States will yield primacy to China, which is actively using crypto assets and digital currencies to expand its financial influence.

Moreover, his approach is pragmatic: the reserve is created from confiscated assets, which does not require budget expenditures, but potentially brings profits with the future growth of the price of bitcoin. The US can earn trillions of dollars on bitcoin to level out the problems of the country's national debt.

- Will Trump's Decision Support Bitcoin's Growth? June Forecasts

- At the Bitcoin 2025 conference, US Senator Cynthia Lummis said that President Trump supports the Bitcoin Act, which would require the US government to purchase 1 million BTC over five years. The funds for the purchase would come from the Federal Reserve and Treasury reserves. If the law is passed, then of course we should expect a rally. If this plan is implemented, the US government will become one of the largest owners of bitcoins in the world. Trump's sons predict the price of bitcoin at $150-175 thousand by 2026.

Bitcoin's strategic reserve is not an attempt to replace the dollar or reduce the national debt overnight, but a multi-step strategy. The US is diversifying reserves, strengthening its technological leadership, and countering geopolitical competitors like China using its already confiscated assets. This is a long-term positive signal for the market.

- But for now these are all just plans and projects. How feasible are they?

- The question of possible BTC purchases to replenish the US reserve remains open and causes discussions in the American financial community. However, even the introduction of existing assets into the legal framework as part of the state reserve is an important step that strengthens the status of cryptocurrencies in the global financial architecture.

- Could the American experience of creating a state reserve in bitcoins be in demand in our country?

- As for Russia, the idea of ​​creating a crypto reserve in the current conditions seems unviable. Limited legal status, risks of sanctions pressure and high price amplitude make such an asset vulnerable in the structure of official reserves. It may be more appropriate to bet on industrial mining in the Russian jurisdiction, where a real digital asset is created with a controlled cost price and potential profitability above the market. This approach will allow our country to participate in the crypto economy without directly placing funds in a volatile asset.