House bill could prompt Treasury study of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and federal custody, cybersecurity and accounting standards

• Treasury study on a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve mandated.

• Section 138 requires a 90‑day custody and cybersecurity plan for federal digital assets.

• Measure would translate an executive order framework into potential statutory standards.

Meta description: Strategic Bitcoin Reserve study: Treasury must assess a federal Bitcoin reserve and deliver a 90‑day custody and cybersecurity plan—read key details and next steps.

Congress advances bill requiring Treasury to study a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and set custody, cybersecurity, and accounting standards.

• House bill directs Treasury to assess feasibility of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and digital asset stockpile.
• Section 138 mandates a 90 day custody, cybersecurity, and coordination plan for federal digital assets.
• Provisions expand on Trump’s March executive order, seeking to codify a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve into law.

Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives have advanced a proposal directing the Treasury Department to assess the feasibility of establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The measure, filed Friday as part of a broader appropriations bill, would also require the department to design custody and cybersecurity procedures for federal digital assets.

According to the House docket, the bill was placed on the Union Calendar on September 5, making it eligible for consideration on the floor. Representative David Joyce (R‑OH) reported the bill, which includes two sections addressing the potential structure of a reserve and the government’s custody framework for Bitcoin and other digital assets.

What is the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve proposal?

The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve proposal instructs the Treasury to study whether the federal government can hold Bitcoin and other digital assets in a structured reserve or stockpile. The study will assess legal authorities, impacts on the Treasury Forfeiture Fund, and the operational steps needed to maintain, account for, and transfer such assets.

How would Treasury assess custody, cybersecurity, and accounting?

Section 138 requires Treasury to deliver a 90‑day plan outlining custody architecture, cybersecurity protocols, accounting standards, and interagency coordination. The plan must address custody definitions used across the institutional market and propose federal accounting treatments for digital asset holdings.

What practical issues must Treasury resolve?

Treasury must confront private‑sector custody challenges including key management, multi‑party signing, disaster recovery, and auditability. Legal and financial authorities governing forfeiture, transfers, and reporting will be evaluated. Kurt Watkins, founder of Watkins Legal, notes federal standards would likely shape industry practice.

Why does this build on the executive order framework?

The bill codifies elements first introduced in President Donald Trump’s March executive order, which conceptualized a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve but left operational details open. Lawmakers now seek statutory clarity on custody and balance‑sheet treatment to ensure transparency and fiduciary controls.

When could the Treasury report be delivered?

If enacted as drafted, Section 138’s 90‑day requirement would compel a near‑term Treasury submission following enactment. The study timeline in Section 137 will set a separate schedule for a broader feasibility analysis and legal assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will Treasury evaluate in the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve study?

Treasury will evaluate legal authorities, operational feasibility, impacts on the Treasury Forfeiture Fund, and whether a reserve can be managed consistent with federal fiduciary and audit standards. The study will recommend statutory or regulatory steps if a reserve is practicable.

How will the 90‑day plan affect federal asset management?

The 90‑day plan will set near‑term federal standards for custody, cybersecurity, and accounting that agencies must follow when holding digital assets, reducing ambiguity and aligning practices across departments.

Will this immediately put Bitcoin on the federal balance sheet?

Not immediately; the bill requires Treasury to recommend how digital assets should be treated on the balance sheet. Any change in accounting or holdings would follow further policy, legal, and appropriation steps.

Key Takeaways

• Mandated study: Treasury must assess the practicability of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile.
• 90‑day plan: Section 138 compels a rapid custody, cybersecurity, and accounting roadmap for federal digital assets.
• Policy impact: Federal standards could shape private‑sector custody and accounting norms.

Conclusion

The appropriations measure advances Congress’s effort to convert an executive order concept into statutory direction by requiring a Treasury study and a 90‑day custody and cybersecurity plan. COINOTAG will monitor House floor action and Treasury submissions as lawmakers determine the bill’s legislative path and potential industry effects.