U.S. Treasury Secretary Tells Congress on 5 February 2026 That Bitcoin Purchases Are Off the Table

On 5 February 2026, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told U.S. lawmakers that his department cannot and will not use taxpayer funds to buy Bitcoin or provide any kind of federal backstop for the asset. He said existing government-held Bitcoin comes only from law-enforcement seizures, while political figures continue to debate proposals for a formal U.S. Bitcoin reserve and regulators face questions about World Liberty Financial's token structure and foreign-linked investors.