The Trump administration is reportedly considering an unconventional financial strategy: using revenue from newly imposed tariffs to expand the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The proposal, now under review, aims to bolster national crypto holdings without raising taxes or increasing federal spending, marking a significant shift in how digital assets may be funded at the federal level.
Bo Hines, Executive Director of the Presidential Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, hinted at the idea during a recent interview with investor Anthony Pompliano. “We’re looking at many creative ways, whether it be from tariffs or something else,” Hines said, suggesting that incoming tariff revenue from Chinese goods could help finance the reserve.
The plan aligns with the administration’s “America First” economic stance, turning trade penalties into a domestic asset accumulation mechanism—specifically, Bitcoin, which officials increasingly view as a hedge against inflation, sovereign debt risk, and geopolitical volatility.
Strategic Reserve Initiative Accelerates Under Trump
The discussion comes in the wake of a March 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump, establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and directing federal agencies to report any digital asset holdings to the Treasury Secretary. According to data from Arkham Intelligence, the U.S. government currently controls around 192,012 BTC, most of which were acquired through criminal forfeitures from cases like Silk Road and Bitfinex.
Now, the White House is laying the groundwork for expansion. Hines confirmed that a 180-day review process is underway to gather inter-agency recommendations on acquisition and management.
“We’ll come together and flesh out some of these ideas and really get to the best solution,” Hines stated, adding that the goal is for the U.S. to become the “Bitcoin superpower of the globe.”
Gold Certificate Revaluation and Legislative Support
In addition to tariff-derived funding, the administration is weighing the revaluation of Treasury-held gold certificates as a source of capital. The certificates, which are currently valued at just $43 per ounce, could be updated to reflect market prices above $3,000—unlocking billions in accounting value. This tactic is being championed by Senator Cynthia Lummis as part of her BITCOIN Act of 2025, which proposes the acquisition of up to one million BTC over five years.
This budget-neutral approach could bypass congressional gridlock while bolstering the Treasury’s purchasing power—providing a new model for sovereign asset diversification.
Key administration officials, including Treasury Secretary John Besson and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, are leading the inter-agency working group tasked with drafting the reserve’s strategic roadmap. The administration expects to publish a full digital asset policy framework by late July or August 2025.
Bitcoin as a Strategic Asset
The policy marks a radical shift in U.S. monetary thinking—one where Bitcoin is viewed not only as a speculative asset but as a strategic economic pillar. Hines emphasized that the goal is to “secure America’s financial future through sound, forward-looking digital asset policy.”
As global monetary systems face growing instability, the U.S. may be positioning itself at the vanguard of a Bitcoin-backed monetary reserve model, funded not by taxpayers but through trade enforcement and financial ingenuity.
Quick Facts
- The U.S. is exploring tariff revenues and gold certificate revaluation as budget-neutral funding tools for expanding its Bitcoin reserve.
- The current reserve includes roughly 192,012 BTC, mostly seized via criminal forfeitures.
- Senator Cynthia Lummis’s BITCOIN Act proposes a national target of one million BTC by 2030.
- A full digital asset strategy is expected to be unveiled by Q3 2025, with inter-agency input shaping the final framework.
