Representative Nick Begich has introduced legislation to turn the U.S. government's existing Bitcoin holdings into a formal strategic reserve. The American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026—ARMA for short—would also create a separate Digital Asset Stockpile for other cryptocurrencies. The bill's 17 original co-sponsors include Buddy Carter, Ben Cline, Barry Moore, and Burgess Owens.
What the bill does
The U.S. currently holds 328,372 Bitcoin, mostly from law enforcement seizures, valued at over $25 billion. Under ARMA, that stash would be locked up: any Bitcoin in the strategic reserve must be held for at least 20 years. That makes the U.S. a long-term holder by law, not just by circumstance.
The bill also mandates quarterly public 'Proof of Reserve' reports, independent third-party audits, and congressional oversight. It's a transparency push that goes beyond what most private funds offer.
Self-custody rights protected
ARMA explicitly says the federal government can't impair Americans' lawful right to own, transfer, or secure digital assets. Self-custody gets a statutory shield. That language matters—it's a clear response to years of regulatory uncertainty around wallets and private keys.
How to buy more without raising taxes
The legislation directs a study into budget-neutral acquisition strategies for expanding digital reserves. No tax increases, no deficit spending. The idea is to find a way to accumulate more crypto without leaning on the Treasury. That study will be worth watching—it could open the door to something like a bitcoin-buying program or revenue from other sources.
Where this fits in
ARMA isn't the first try at a strategic bitcoin reserve. Senator Cynthia Lummis's BITCOIN Act proposed buying 1 million Bitcoin over 5 years. President Trump signed an executive order to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve earlier this year. Begich's bill builds on that momentum but adds the 20-year hold, the audit requirements, and the self-custody protections.
Separately, the Clarity Act—which aims to set clear rules for the whole crypto industry—recently passed the Senate Banking Committee with bipartisan support. That bill could give regulators a framework to work from, while ARMA focuses on what the government does with its own bag.
Next up: the House committee process. The bill has a Republican sponsor and co-sponsors, but the self-custody language and audit demands might draw some Democratic interest. Whether it gets a hearing before the summer recess is the open question.
