Venezuela is sitting on as many as 600,000 Bitcoin [BTC]. With the seize of President Nicolas Maduro, if the U.S. seizes the cash, they’d probably be frozen in authorized battles for years.
Roughly 3% of Bitcoin’s whole provide could possibly be successfully taken out of circulation with out a single commerce going down.
For an asset with restricted provide, that is important.
Certainly one of crypto’s largest reserves
The markets are fixated on Venezuela’s huge oil wealth, however right here’s a glance between the strains. The regime was constructing a Bitcoin “shadow reserve.”
Starting in 2018 with sanctions, Venezuela allegedly used gold swaps, compelled oil-for-USDT settlements, and seized mining operations to build up crypto.
Gold from the Orinoco Mining Arc was liquidated, and, by some estimates, almost $2 billion was transformed into Bitcoin at costs close to $5,000 (round 400,000 BTC.)
Supply: X
Because the state-backed “Petro” failed, USDT grew to become a workaround for oil gross sales earlier than being quietly washed into Bitcoin to keep away from Tether’s freeze threat.
Add later inflows, and estimates now place Venezuela’s holdings at 600,000-660,000 BTC, value over $60 billion.
Why this modifications the BTC market
To know the influence, evaluate this to Germany’s 2024 sale of roughly 50,000 BTC. That liquidation precipitated a 15-20% correction and weeks of bearishness.
Venezuela’s stash is 12 occasions bigger.
At this scale, it rivals MicroStrategy [MSTR] and sits slightly below BlackRock’s IBIT ETF. It’s additionally almost double the U.S. authorities’s identified Bitcoin holdings.
If the U.S. locks up these cash, roughly 3% of Bitcoin’s circulating provide may disappear from the market with out being offered.
Why a fireplace sale is unlikely
The almost certainly final result is a freeze. Authorized battles, forfeiture claims, and creditor disputes may lock these cash in escrow for years.
A strategic reserve can be believable, particularly given President Donald Trump’s public openness to holding confiscated Bitcoin as a long-term asset.
A speedy liquidation stays the least probably possibility. Politically and strategically, dumping such a lot of Bitcoin would wreck stability and the broader “Bitcoin reserve” narrative.
Within the brief time period…
Uncertainty may trigger large strikes, however the numbers look calm. There aren’t any indicators of a surge in panic promoting, with comparable patterns seen throughout current geopolitical conflicts.
BTC is rising to be proof against macroeconomic occasions.
Supply: CryptoQuant
Long run, a compelled lock-up of 600,000 BTC is bullish. Lowered liquid provide favors massive LTHs and makes a stronger case for Bitcoin’s shortage narrative within the new yr.
Closing Ideas
- A possible 600,000 BTC freeze may lock 3% of Bitcoin’s provide.
- With no panic promoting seen, the market seems to view this shock as bullish.
