The Digital Chamber, a leading digital asset advocacy group in the United States, urges lawmakers to support the newly introduced Bitcoin reserve bill. Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis proposed the legislation on July 31, seeking to position the US as a global leader by incorporating Bitcoin into its national reserves.
The Bitcoin Act of 2024
The bill, formally named the Boosting Innovation, Technology, and Competitiveness through Optimized Investment Nationwide Act of 2024 (or Bitcoin Act of 2024), mandates the US Treasury to purchase 1 million Bitcoin over five years. The Digital Chamber's Chief Policy Officer, Cody Carbone, emphasised that Bitcoin's limited supply—capped at approximately 21 million units—makes it an attractive asset for hedging against inflation and economic instability.
The Digital Chamber’s letter to US Senators. Source: The Digital Chamber
Carbone highlighted the benefits of diversifying the nation's reserves, stating, "By reducing our reliance on traditional fiat currencies and diversifying our reserves, we can create a more robust and adaptable financial system that is better equipped to navigate future economic challenges."
Rising National Debt and Bipartisan Support
The appeal comes shortly after the US national debt exceeded $35 trillion. Lummis is not alone in her Bitcoin advocacy; independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Republican candidate Donald Trump have both expressed support for building a national Bitcoin reserve. At the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, Kennedy proposed daily Bitcoin purchases for the Treasury, while Trump suggested creating a strategic national Bitcoin stockpile.
Recent months have seen increasing bipartisan support for cryptocurrency-related initiatives in the US. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act passed the House on May 22, with substantial support from both parties. However, attempts to overturn the US Securities and Exchange Commission's Staff Accounting Bulletin 121 rule, which could have facilitated US banks' custody of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products, were vetoed by President Joe Biden. The veto override attempt did not achieve a two-thirds majority in the House.