A bipartisan group of more than a dozen U.S. representatives introduced the ARMA Bill on Friday, legislation that would create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in federal law. The bill would require the Treasury Department to hold any Bitcoin it acquires for a minimum of 20 years and authorize the purchase of up to 1 million Bitcoin over a five-year period.
What the ARMA Bill does
The bill directs the Treasury to acquire Bitcoin through a structured program, capping total purchases at 1 million BTC. Once acquired, the government would be barred from selling or transferring the Bitcoin for at least two decades. The long holding period is designed to avoid short-term market disruptions and force a strategic, generational approach to the reserve.
Bipartisan support, but details remain sparse
The bill has backing from both sides of the aisle — over a dozen representatives signed on as co-sponsors. But the text does not specify how the Treasury would fund the purchases or whether the acquisitions would be made on the open market or through other mechanisms. Those details are expected to be hashed out in committee.
Where the bill goes next
The ARMA Bill now heads to the House Financial Services Committee. No markup or hearing date has been set yet. If it advances, it would mark the first time the U.S. government has formally enshrined a Bitcoin reserve in statute, rather than through executive action or asset seizures.
