As of 2021, it is estimated that the United States government, through various agencies and departments, holds around 92,000 bitcoins, which is roughly 0.5% of the total Bitcoin in circulation. However, it is important to note that this number may not be accurate as Bitcoin ownership is decentralized and difficult to track.
The U.S. government’s Bitcoin holdings are primarily held by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). These agencies have obtained Bitcoins through various means, including confiscation from criminals and seizing Bitcoins from illegal activities such as drug trafficking and money laundering.
In 2013, the FBI seized 144,000 Bitcoins from the illegal marketplace Silk Road, which was one of the largest Bitcoin seizures in history. The government sold these Bitcoins in 2014 and made over $48 million in profit. The DOJ also auctioned off 30,000 Bitcoins seized from another illegal marketplace in 2014, making an additional $18 million.
The IRS has also taken a keen interest in Bitcoin, considering it as property for tax purposes. In 2019, the IRS sent letters to over 10,000 cryptocurrency holders, warning them to report their Bitcoin holdings and pay taxes on them. The IRS has also been working with other countries to track down tax evaders who use Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to hide their assets.
Apart from government agencies, some private companies and individuals in the United States also hold a significant amount of Bitcoin. For example, Tesla announced in February 2021 that it had invested $1.5 billion in Bitcoin, and plans to accept the cryptocurrency as payment for its products. MicroStrategy, a business intelligence company, has also invested over $2 billion in Bitcoin, making it one of the largest corporate holders of the cryptocurrency.
Apart from these known holdings, it is difficult to estimate how much Bitcoin is owned by individual Americans. Bitcoin ownership is decentralized and anonymous, meaning that there is no central registry of Bitcoin owners. Moreover, many Americans hold their Bitcoins in offshore exchanges or wallets, making it even harder to estimate their holdings.
In conclusion, the United States government and private companies do own a significant amount of Bitcoin. However, the exact amount is difficult to estimate, and it is likely that many Americans hold Bitcoin without it being officially recorded. As Bitcoin becomes more mainstream and accepted as a legitimate asset, it is expected that more individuals and institutions will invest in it.