On-chain trackers and public-case tallies are increasingly pointing to the same headline: the United States remains the largest known sovereign Bitcoin holder, with estimates now exceeding 328,000 BTC—well ahead of China at roughly 194,000 BTC and the United Kingdom near 61,000 BTC.
Because no comprehensive, real-time official ledger is published, these figures are best understood as high-confidence estimates built from wallet attribution, court filings, and publicly reported seizures, and they can shift when assets are returned to victims, moved between agencies, or prepared for disposal.
Key Takeaways
- Multiple trackers estimate the US holds more than 328,000 BTC, keeping it the largest known government Bitcoin holder.
- China is widely tracked around 194,000 BTC, but analysts continue to debate whether some of that stash was previously liquidated.
- The UK’s roughly 61,000 BTC figure is tied largely to a major police seizure that has been publicly discussed and tracked.
- US totals appear to have jumped after reports of a major forfeiture that materially increased the government’s estimated balance.
- Traders watch sovereign holdings because large-scale movements or policy shifts can affect market sentiment and liquidity.
Why the US Estimate Has Climbed Above 328,000 BTC
In 2025 reporting, The Block described US government Bitcoin reserves surging to around the mid-300,000 BTC range after news of a large seizure/forfeiture that added more than 127,000 BTC to the estimated total. Crypto Briefing also reported the same forfeiture as a key driver behind the jump in the US stash’s estimated size.
Separately, The Associated Press reported in 2025 that President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a government Bitcoin reserve built around seized assets, alongside a broader digital asset stockpile. Even when the reserve is framed as “seized, not bought,” the policy direction matters because it can influence whether holdings are sold, retained, or consolidated under a new mandate.
China’s 194,000 BTC: Large, Visible, and Still Debated
China’s estimated holdings are commonly tracked around 194,000 BTC by public dashboards such as BitcoinTreasuries and CoinGecko’s treasuries pages, which generally tie the figure to the PlusToken-era seizure footprint and subsequent attribution work.
However, market commentary has periodically suggested that portions of the stash may have been liquidated in earlier years, and the lack of an official confirmation keeps uncertainty in play. As a result, China’s “holdings” number is often treated by traders as a ceiling for what may be controlled rather than a guarantee of what is currently custodied.
The UK’s 61,000 BTC: A Seizure-Driven Stack
The UK’s figure is most often connected to a large Metropolitan Police seizure that has been widely referenced in industry tracking. Arkham Intelligence publicly noted the UK’s presence on its platform and linked the roughly 61,000 BTC figure to that law-enforcement history, which helps explain why the UK remains high on sovereign holder rankings despite not running a formal Bitcoin accumulation program.