Representative Nick Begich of Alaska introduced the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026, legislation that would permanently establish a United States strategic Bitcoin reserve within the Treasury Department and authorize the acquisition of up to 200,000 BTC per year for five years. The bill has attracted 17 original House co-sponsors and bipartisan support, according to a Fox Business report, and would create a separate digital asset stockpile for non-Bitcoin cryptocurrencies held by the federal government.

ARMA Bill Structure and Acquisition Framework

The legislation targets a total reserve of 1 million Bitcoin, representing roughly 5 percent of global supply, with all holdings locked for a minimum of 20 years. The bill builds on the earlier BITCOIN Act that Begich originally introduced in March 2025 alongside Senator Cynthia Lummis, updating the framework to include both the strategic reserve and the separate digital asset stockpile provisions.

The United States government currently holds an estimated 328,372 Bitcoin accumulated through law enforcement seizures, including proceeds from the Silk Road takedown and the 2022 Bitfinex hack recovery. According to Bitcoin Treasuries data, this existing stash is valued at more than 25 billion dollars at current market prices. The ARMA Bill would codify the retention of these holdings and authorize additional purchases to reach the 1 million Bitcoin target.

Bipartisan Support and Legislative Context

Begich drew a direct comparison between Bitcoin and gold in his remarks to Fox Business, arguing that markets have already determined both assets as dominant stores of value within their respective categories. “When you look at gold, it is the dominant precious metal reserve,” Begich said. “When you look at Bitcoin, it represents about 60 percent of all market cap for the entire crypto space. So the market has decided, in the case of gold and in the case of Bitcoin, that this will be the predominant store of value within that asset class.”

The bill’s 17 co-sponsors include representatives from both parties across multiple states, giving it a broader initial coalition than many previous crypto-related legislative proposals. The legislation aims to codify President Trump’s March 2025 executive order establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve, converting the executive action into durable statutory law that would survive future administrations.

Fiscal Implications and Acquisition Costs

Acquiring 200,000 Bitcoin per year at current market prices of approximately 77,000 dollars per coin would require roughly 15.4 billion dollars in annual expenditure over the five-year accumulation period. The total cost to reach 1 million Bitcoin would depend on market conditions during the acquisition window, but at current valuations the program would represent a commitment of approximately 77 billion dollars in total. The bill must address funding mechanisms and budget scoring during committee review, questions that could prove contentious in an environment of fiscal constraint.

Risks and Uncertainties

The 20-year lock-up period would prevent the government from liquidating holdings during market disruptions or fiscal emergencies, a constraint that fiscal hawks in Congress may challenge. Legislative passage remains uncertain despite bipartisan co-sponsorship, as previous Bitcoin reserve proposals have stalled in committee and the bill must compete for floor time with other legislative priorities.

Critics argue that sovereign Bitcoin accumulation could distort markets, create conflicts of interest for regulators tasked with overseeing the same asset class, and expose taxpayers to significant downside risk if Bitcoin prices decline during the holding period. The bill’s success likely depends on whether broader crypto legislation, including the CLARITY Act and GENIUS Act, creates sufficient legislative momentum to carry companion proposals through Congress. Whether the political will exists to commit tens of billions of dollars to a volatile digital asset over a multi-year horizon remains the central uncertainty facing the ARMA Bill.

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