US Senator Lummis Proposes Giving the Federal Reserve the Authority to Own Bitcoin

In an interview with Yahoo Finance, US Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming outlined a proposal to grant the Federal Reserve the authority to hold Bitcoin as part of the United States’ official reserves.

United States Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) has proposed granting the Federal Reserve the authority to hold Bitcoin as part of the country’s official reserves in an interview with Yahoo Finance. She argues that this approach could improve the country’s long-term financial stability, strengthen the global role of the US dollar, and provide a valuable hedge against the nation’s ballooning national debt, which now surpasses 36 trillion dollars.

The senator’s remarks directly confront the current stance of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. At the latest Federal Open Market Committee press conference, Powell reiterated that the Federal Reserve Act restricts the institution from owning it. “We’re not allowed to own Bitcoin. The Federal Reserve Act says what we can’t own [it], and we’re not looking for a law change. That’s the kind of thing for Congress to consider, but we are not looking for a law change at the Fed,” Powell remarked on Wednesday.

Lummis acknowledged this legal roadblock but remained determined to shift the conversation in Congress. She believes lawmakers need to give the central bank the authority to hold Bitcoin. “I understand the Federal Reserve believes it doesn’t have the legal authority to own Bitcoin,” Lummis said. “We need to give that to them. The Bitcoin the US already owns, roughly 200,000 Bitcoin, are within the asset forfeiture fund, and it’s important I think that we take that fund, scoop it over into a strategic Bitcoin reserve, and then add to it.”

Her proposal aligns with principles set forth in the Bitcoin Act of 2024, introduced earlier this year. It seeks to establish a SBR in the US to enhance the national financial strategy. The Act involves setting up secure BTC storage facilities, purchasing 1 million BTC over five years, and funding these purchases through existing financial reserves without increasing taxpayer burden.

“It absolutely is the right asset,” she said, describing BTC’s properties. “It is digital gold. It is a finite source—only 21 million BTC will ever be mined. Even though it’s slightly volatile, it’s always volatile in an upward leaning direction, and so the goal here of holding it for 20 years is in recognition that on the short term, there is short-term volatility. In the long term, there is long-term growth that far exceeds the ability of the US dollar to keep up.”

Lummis cited historical growth trends to bolster her argument. Although Bitcoin has existed for only 15 years, she views its long-term trajectory as overwhelmingly positive. While she acknowledges that growth may slow from the early years—declining from 55% annual growth to figures like 45% or 35%—it would still, in her estimation, “continue to grow, where the US dollar will continue to decline in value.” She sees in these figures a bulwark against the inexorable erosion of purchasing power that comes with a currency deliberately managed to produce steady inflation.

Senator Lummis’ proposal comes amid growing interest from institutions and governments in exploring the potential benefits of Bitcoin. As the world’s leading cryptocurrency by market capitalization, Bitcoin has attracted attention for its unique properties, including scarcity, portability, and divisibility. Its decentralized nature and the absence of a single point of failure have also contributed to its increasing popularity.

The senator's proposal would also require the Federal Reserve to report annually on its Bitcoin holdings, including the average purchase price, the total value of the holdings, and any changes in the holdings. The report would also include an analysis of the impact of the Bitcoin holdings on the Federal Reserve's balance sheet, the US dollar, and the national debt.

Senator Lummis is a strong advocate for Bitcoin and has previously introduced legislation that would establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) in the US. The SBR would be funded through existing financial reserves without increasing taxpayer burden.

In March 2024, Lummis and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced the Bitcoin Act of 2024, which would prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC). The bill would also require the Federal Reserve to purchase 1 million BTC over five years, starting with 200,000 BTC in the first year.

The bill has not yet been scheduled for a vote in the Senate Banking Committee.