The U.S. government has officially confirmed that Bitcoin seized from Samourai Wallet will not be sold, directly addressing prior claims that the assets had been liquidated in violation of federal policy regarding forfeited digital assets. This clarification comes from Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, who stated that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed the seized Bitcoin “have not been liquidated and will not be liquidated.” He noted that these assets will remain on the government’s balance sheet as part of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
This announcement follows earlier reports indicating that prosecutors in the Southern District of New York may have sold Bitcoin associated with developers related to Samourai Wallet. Such an alleged sale would contradict Executive Order 14233, which mandates that forfeited Bitcoin should be retained, rather than sold.
Witt further emphasized that according to the DOJ, the forfeited digital assets are currently in the possession of the U.S. government and comply with the provisions of the executive order. This statement directly counters previous claims suggesting that these assets were already liquidated pursuant to a plea agreement involving Samourai.
While the DOJ has not publicly elaborated on the operational management of these assets, confirming their retention removes ambiguity regarding whether this seizure influenced market transactions or affected recent Bitcoin price activities.
Supporting the DOJ’s position, independent blockchain analytics from Arkham corroborate the government’s statement. Publicly tracked wallets attributed to U.S. government holdings indicate no significant decrease in Bitcoin balances that would suggest a sale associated with the Samourai case. As of mid-January, on-chain data shows that the U.S. government continues to hold over 328,000 BTC, valued at more than $31 billion, along with smaller quantities of ether and stablecoins. No unusual outflows related to the Samourai forfeiture have been detected.
The confusion over the status of these assets can be traced back to historical practices in which the U.S. government sold seized Bitcoin through public auctions, as seen in cases like Silk Road. This precedent shaped market expectations, leading many to assume that newly forfeited Bitcoin would similarly be liquidated. However, Executive Order 14233 indicates a shift in policy, mandating certain seized Bitcoin to be retained as a strategic asset instead of being sold off.
The clarification from the DOJ effectively lays to rest any speculation regarding whether Bitcoin associated with Samourai Wallet has entered the market. This episode underscores the ongoing tension between long-standing expectations around seized Bitcoin transactions and the U.S. government’s evolving stance on digital asset management.
