White House puts Bitcoin security ahead of any new purchases

The US government owns a lot of Bitcoin. Before it buys any more, it wants to make sure it knows exactly where all of it is. On October 14, 2026, Patrick Witt, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, said the White House is focused first on safeguarding and accounting for its existing Bitcoin. Adding to the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve comes later, if at all. Anyone hoping Washington was about to start buying will have to keep waiting. Witt said no specific purchase strategies have been set. He also pointed to no imminent policy changes and no announced timelines. Counting the coins before adding more As of early October 2026, the government’s Bitcoin holdings were estimated at between 319,000 and 328,000 BTC. At market prices of $82,000 to $83,000 per Bitcoin, that stash is worth approximately $26 to $28 billion. The coins have also been on the move recently. More than $1 billion worth of Bitcoin was reportedly transferred in early October, with significant amounts landing in Coinbase Prime addresses. The movements point to consolidated custody rather than liquidation. The coins are being gathered into institutional-grade storage, not lined up at ...