U.S. government transfers billions of seized Bitcoin and tens of thousands of BNB to Coinbase Prime
Between October 6 and 8, 2026, wallets linked to the U.S. government moved 9,261 Bitcoin, worth about $770 million, and a separate batch of 833.599 Bitcoin (≈$71.6 million) together with 40,285 Binance Coin (≈$31.6 million) to Coinbase Prime custody addresses. The assets originate from forfeitures such as the Bitfinex hack, the Potapenko‑Turogin case and seized Alameda Research holdings. The government still holds roughly $27 billion‑$28 billion in seized crypto, but no sale has been confirmed.
Why it matters
The transfers have sparked speculation that the U.S. could liquidate a portion of its sovereign Bitcoin reserve, which could pressure Bitcoin prices if sold on open markets. However, officials note the moves may simply be custodial re‑allocation, and an executive order from March 2025 bars the sale of assets designated for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
Key facts
- 1The government transferred 9,261 Bitcoin, valued at about $770 million, to Coinbase Prime on October 6‑7, 2026. bitcoinfoundation.org
- 2A separate transfer of 833.599 Bitcoin, worth roughly $71.6 million, was sent to Coinbase Prime. coindesk.com
- 340,285 Binance Coin, valued at about $31.63 million, was also moved to Coinbase Prime. coindesk.com
- 4The U.S. government holds approximately $27.5 billion in seized cryptocurrency assets. coindesk.com
- 5Galaxy Research estimates the total government‑held Bitcoin at about 319,086 BTC, worth roughly $26.5 billion. bitcoinfoundation.org
- 6Arkham Intelligence and Galaxy Research estimate the total government Bitcoin holdings between 319,000 and 325,000 BTC, valued at $27 billion‑$28 billion. tradingview.com
Open questions
- Total government Bitcoin holdings are reported as $27.5 billion, $26.5 billion, and a range of $27 billion‑$28 billion.
- The amount of Bitcoin moved is reported as $100 million (≈833.6 BTC) in some sources and $770 million (9,261 BTC) in others, with an additional cumulative $1.5 billion (17,795 BTC) over three days in material 7.
Summary written by AlphAI from 7 of 7 sources. Not investment advice. Figures are as stated by the linked sources.