The new U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve bill cancels the target of purchasing 1 million BTC and introduces a 20-year lock-up period

The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced a new bipartisan bill, the "American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026" (ARMA), which aims to include Bitcoin held by the U.S. government in its strategic reserves and requires it to be locked for at least 20 years. Unlike the previously proposed BITCOIN Act, the new bill no longer requires the U.S. government to purchase 1 million BTC, but instead focuses on including Bitcoin already held or acquired in the future through means such as criminal and civil forfeiture into the reserves.

At the same time, the bill will establish an independent digital asset inventory to manage non-Bitcoin crypto assets held by the federal government. According to the draft, Bitcoin entering the strategic reserves cannot be sold, exchanged, auctioned, mortgaged, or otherwise disposed of for 20 years. After the lock-up period ends, the Secretary of the Treasury may recommend selling up to 10% of the reserve assets within any two-year period. The bill also requires the government to publicly disclose reserve proofs quarterly and to conduct third-party audits of Bitcoin holdings. Supporters believe that the U.S. should not sell strategic digital assets but should hold them long-term as part of a modern national reserve system.