The U.S. government has transferred a portion of Bitcoin previously seized from Alameda Research accounts held on Binance.US. This transaction was highlighted by blockchain analytics company Arkham, which monitors activity involving high-profile blockchain movements.
Details of the transaction
Arkham reported on August 26 that Bitcoin was moved from assets originally confiscated from Alameda on Binance and Binance.US nearly three years prior. While the transfer’s amount was characterized as small, Arkham did not indicate that the movement signaled an outright sale, nor did it clarify the final destination of the funds.
Such transactions have become increasingly common as the government actively manages digital assets seized in connection with the collapse of Alameda Research and the associated FTX exchange. These ongoing asset reallocations follow several high-profile forfeiture actions spanning multiple cryptocurrencies and exchanges.
Broader government asset movements
In May, Arkham observed the transfer of approximately $1.9 million in a mix of Alameda Research altcoins to Coinbase Prime. The assets included Render (RNDR), Uniswap (UNI), The Sandbox (SAND), Mask Network (MASK), and Axie Infinity (AXS).
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AAPLEarlier, in July, wallets attributed to U.S. government authorities moved over $288 million in seized Bitcoin and Ether to Coinbase Prime. These funds originated from multiple criminal proceedings, not exclusively those linked to FTX and Alameda, underscoring the government’s ongoing effort to process forfeited digital assets.
Arkham revealed that more than $300 million held in Alameda Research accounts on Binance and Binance.US was seized by the government as part of a comprehensive forfeiture initiative totaling over $700 million in FTX- and Alameda-related assets.
The seized holdings included a significant sum of Bitcoin and wrapped Bitcoin, valued at over $102 million at the time. These actions represent just a portion of the billions in assets ultimately linked to the FTX and Alameda investigations.
Mini dictionary: Alameda Research, a quantitative cryptocurrency trading firm formerly led by Sam Bankman-Fried, was closely tied to the FTX exchange before both collapsed in 2022 following revelations of financial misconduct and mismanagement.
Legal aftermath and victim compensation
Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX and executive at Alameda Research, received a 25-year prison sentence and was ordered to forfeit over $11 billion after being convicted of fraud and related charges. Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan authorized the U.S. government to distribute recovered assets as restitution to victims affected by Bankman-Fried’s actions.
The organized transfer and liquidation of digital assets is part of the ongoing process to satisfy the court-ordered forfeiture. An inspector general report from the Department of Justice revealed that the U.S. Marshals Service had received a $627.9 million settlement as a partial payment against the $11 billion total, with funds actively distributed to qualifying victims.
The Department of Justice emphasized that ongoing payments to victims are being sourced from funds recovered through asset seizures and settlements connected to the FTX and Alameda investigations.
| Asset Type | Amount Moved | Destination | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | Undisclosed (small amount) | Not specified | August 26 |
| Altcoins (RNDR, UNI, SAND, MASK, AXS) | $1.9 million | Coinbase Prime | May |
| Bitcoin, Ether | $288 million | Coinbase Prime | July |
| Settlement (USD) | $627.9 million | Victims | October 2025 |
Authorities have continued to coordinate the disposition of seized digital assets as they advance efforts to provide restitution and actively monitor substantial cryptocurrency movements resulting from legal proceedings in the aftermath of FTX and Alameda’s failure.
