The Spring River's Warmth and the Chilling Cold: Powell's Stance on Bitcoin Has Dealt a Blow to the Rumored Plan for a Strategic Reserve of 1 Million Bitcoins

The Federal Reserve's interest rate cut of 25 basis points was already a foregone conclusion for many institutions and retail investors at the time of confirmation.

The Federal Reserve's interest rate cut of 25 basis points was already a foregone conclusion for many institutions and retail investors at the time of confirmation. However, the positive effects of the rate cut did not bring about upward momentum; this momentum had already been consumed in advance.

To make matters worse, Chairman Powell closed the door to public advice regarding future rate cuts at the meeting, stating that they will wait to observe inflation data based on the specific implementation results of Trump's new policies before responding, which means that subsequent rate cuts in the short term are likely to be minimal and infrequent.

Is the spring river warm or cold? Powell knows!

Powell stated that the overall performance of the U.S. economy appears strong and has made significant progress toward the Federal Reserve's goals over the past two years. The labor market has cooled from its previously overheated state but remains robust. Inflation levels are now closer to the Federal Reserve's long-term target of 2%. He also mentioned that even if next year's inflation rate only drops to 2.5%, the Federal Reserve may still cut rates next year as indicated by the dot plot, because inflation is moving in the right direction.

However, what hurts crypto even more is Powell's statement at the meeting that the Federal Reserve is not allowed to hold Bitcoin and has no plans to accumulate Bitcoin, which has dealt a negative blow to the previously rumored plan for a strategic reserve of 1 million Bitcoins.

Is Powell's statement unfounded, or is this not his responsibility?

Firstly, this 1 million Bitcoin reserve plan was not proposed by Trump, but rather by Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming. This proposal seems to cater to Trump's vision of a super Bitcoin kingdom and serves as a political statement. The specific operation involves selling the Federal Reserve's gold to buy 1 million Bitcoins over five years, using the appreciation of Bitcoin to hedge against U.S. Treasury bonds.

How much gold does the Federal Reserve have? According to the Federal Reserve's balance sheet, it lists certificates representing gold held by the Treasury, valued at approximately $11 billion. Based on current spot prices, this batch of gold is worth about $675 billion. Taking away 1/6 to please the Bitcoin president would leave other expenditures without a safety net, potentially undermining the international credibility of the dollar and U.S. debt. Powell is already sleepless over the lack of resources for economic growth, and expecting him to draw blood for Bitcoin, a competitor to gold, is even more challenging. Even if Trump insists on this matter and wants to legislate a Bitcoin strategic reserve act, it should be implemented by the Treasury, not the Federal Reserve.

Everyone knows the state of U.S. finances; even the landlord's family has no surplus grain. The government budget deficit for 2024 alone is projected to reach $1.833 trillion, which is $133 billion more than the previous year. This amount is just enough to buy 1 million Bitcoins, but the problem is that this is debt, not profit. Even if they tighten their belts, they can't squeeze out any more oil; are they supposed to rob?

To be honest, while they can still move, it's necessary to occasionally showcase old skills. The more than 200,000 Bitcoins currently held by the U.S. government were obtained through fines, collateral, and money laundering seizures, such as the 95,000 Bitcoins seized from the exchange Bitfinex when both hackers were imprisoned, as well as 69,000 Bitcoins from the founder of the Silk Road drug market and 50,676 Bitcoins stolen by a subordinate. These are stored in hardware wallets controlled by the Department of Justice, the IRS, or other agencies. Occasionally, some department may sell a small amount to alleviate financial difficulties, but most remain in cold storage. The additional profits without investment align well with the Western notion of "legal justice" and easily stimulate the Anglo-Saxon penchant for entrapment, using regulatory and litigation penalties to achieve crypto wealth, especially since the bull market has brought an increase in wealth-related lawsuits and active hacking activities. The "correctness" of law enforcement is hard to guarantee for every crypto victim; more often, assets are frozen or surrendered pending judgment, and without a reasonable and legal source of income, it's unfortunate. National security always has a label to pin on you.

Thus, during a bull market, incidents of hackers fleeing and explosions are often heard, but more wealth-generating opportunities can easily lead to a 7-second memory. It can't possibly happen to me, right? Short-term users who gamble on fate and opportunities are often the source of the chaff. The benefits of Trump's economy have gradually narrowed, and crypto is not a priority of the new policies; when favorable