Bitcoin Bonanza: The Feds Just Moved $73M-But Can They Keep Up With Their Own Shutdown?

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So, on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, some blockchain nerds (no offense, I mean it in the best possible way) using Arkham Intelligence data noticed something mildly shocking: The U.S. government moved 652.62 BTC-worth a nice $73 million-out of its digital safe deposit box. And no, this wasn’t a “oops we clicked the wrong button” moment.

Feds Play the Crypto Shuffle While Government Shutdown Hits Week Two

It’s Day 14 of the U.S. government shutdown (two weeks of glorious political chaos, hold your applause), and yet Uncle Sam’s crypto wallet seems to be alive and kicking. While the shutdown holds everything else hostage, the feds transferred over $73 million in bitcoin with absolutely no regard for political proceedings. According to Arkham’s super-sleuthy metrics, at exactly 4:57 a.m. Eastern, the government did a little warm-up act with a tiny test transfer of 0.001 BTC (about $111 at the time).

But wait for it-right after this lovely warm-up, the feds pulled a full 652.62 BTC transfer move, ten minutes later, like a high-stakes crypto dance. These bitcoin beauties were originally seized from the infamous Potapenko/Turogin fraud case (oh, you know, just one of the biggest crypto frauds ever, no big deal).

U.S. government’s Tuesday morning crypto transfer, according to the all-knowing Arkham Intelligence.

After doing their little crypto waltz to one address, the government decided to hop, skip, and jump to another unknown wallet, like “maybe we’ll just move these to a new address for funsies.” This could mean that the funds are being prepped for a later grand dispersal. And, oh, the victims of the fraud case (Potapenko/Turogin, if you’re keeping up) can apparently claim their stolen money through a remission process-because who doesn’t love bureaucracy?

In a surprising plot twist, the Trump administration had previously promised they’d never sell any of the seized bitcoin. But, hey, these things have a way of changing, don’t they?

So, just how much BTC does Uncle Sam really have? You know, just for funsies, a FOIA request from July told us the U.S. Marshals were only managing 29,000 BTC (yeah, sure, okay). But onchain detectives (yes, they exist) have been busy uncovering that there’s probably a lot more going on behind the scenes. Arkham’s latest deep dive has pegged the total to about 197,353 BTC, worth a juicy $22.78 billion. So… who’s really running the show here?

Whether it’s a clean-up job or just Uncle Sam reorganizing his digital vault like he’s Marie Kondoing his life, the takeaway is clear: the government is still one of bitcoin’s biggest, most secretive whales. With tens of billions in BTC under wraps and transactions that make everyone scratch their heads, Uncle Sam’s crypto moves will continue to make crypto watchers clutch their pearls.

FAQ 🧭

  • How much bitcoin did the U.S. government move today?
    The U.S. government transferred 652.62 BTC, worth a cool $73 million, as per Arkham Intelligence. No big deal.
  • When did the government make the test transaction?
    Arkham data shows the tiniest of test transfers, 0.001 BTC, at exactly 4:57 a.m. Eastern time. Who said the government isn’t punctual?
  • How much bitcoin does the U.S. government own?
    Estimates vary (shocking, right?), but Arkham data tracks about 197,353 BTC, worth around $22.78 billion. That’s like… a lot of money.
  • Who manages the government’s bitcoin holdings?
    The U.S. Marshals control a portion, while other wallets are linked to federal agencies that are apparently allergic to transparency. 🕵️‍♂️

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2025-10-14 13:58