The United States government transferred 9,261 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $770 million, to Coinbase Prime in a move stemming from recent and past cryptocurrency asset seizures. The transfers, completed over the last two days, primarily involve funds recovered from high-profile hack investigations and enforcement actions targeting illicit crypto activity.
Details of seized Bitcoin transfers
According to Galaxy Research, a digital assets analytics firm, half of the Bitcoin sent originated from funds previously linked to the Bitfinex hack. Bitfinex, a major cryptocurrency exchange, lost a significant amount of Bitcoin in a 2016 breach, much of which has since been recovered by law enforcement agents. Another portion of the transferred funds reportedly stems from earlier Binance-related seizures, also connected to investigations into illicit activity.
Galaxy Research also identified that 2,456 BTC sent to the US government’s designated Coinbase Prime address came from previously unrecognized holdings. These may reflect new enforcement actions or seizures, though specific details have not been disclosed by federal agencies.
The blockchain data reviewed by Galaxy shows active movement by US authorities in consolidating and managing assets derived from cybercrime and exploitation cases.
Mini dictionary: Coinbase Prime is the institutional-grade asset custody and trading platform offered by Coinbase, tailored for handling large-scale assets and typically used by companies, funds, and government bodies to securely store and transact significant amounts of cryptocurrency.
Government asset management
Since 2024, the United States Marshals Service, an agency under the Department of Justice, has adopted Coinbase Prime as its primary custodian for seized cryptocurrency. Asset flows related to these government addresses are closely watched by traders and market observers due to their potential impact on the market if liquidated.
Previously, substantial movements from the government-controlled wallet triggered speculation about upcoming large-scale Bitcoin sales, which could impact the broader market. However, a sale would contradict the terms of a March 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump. The order mandates that seized Bitcoin remain unsold as part of the country’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve rather than being liquidated for fiat funds.
Movements from government wallets have historically fueled debate over whether the US intends to sell or retain its seized digital assets as part of national reserves.
Cointelegraph reportedly reached out to the US Marshals Service and the Department of Justice seeking further information on the transfer but has yet to receive a public response.
Previous and ongoing seizures
In July, the US government completed a transfer of $297 million in Bitcoin and Ether to Coinbase Prime, with these assets also linked to cryptocurrency seizures stemming from various criminal investigations.
Authorities continue to monitor and recover crypto assets from a range of incidents, reinforcing the government’s central role in overseeing and enforcing digital currency laws.
Onchain evidence continues to demonstrate the US government’s ongoing efforts to manage and secure large volumes of Bitcoin obtained from criminal probes, often involving high-profile exchanges such as Bitfinex and Binance.
Observers note that such actions not only impact the global perception of digital currency management but also highlight increased sophistication in how law enforcement agencies approach cyber-enabled financial crime.
