USA moves US$ 2 billion in Bitcoin and generates fear of a new cryptocurrency sell-off
On Monday, the 29th, the United States government surprised the market by transferring more than US$2 billion (R$11.25 billion) in bitcoins, resulting in a drop in the asset after days of recovery. According to the CoinGecko platform, in the last 24 hours, the cryptocurrency accumulated losses of 1.1%, being quoted at US$67,321, reversing the increase seen in the morning.
The blockchain analysis company Arkham Intelligence identified the movement, pointing out that the amount was transferred to two new digital wallets. These bitcoins were seized after an operation against the illegal marketplace Silk Road.
The transfer caught the attention of investors and generated speculation about a possible sale of the assets, especially after a similar operation recently carried out by the German government, which also caused a significant drop in the cryptocurrency. Although blockchain technology allows transfers to be monitored, it is not possible to confirm whether there was a sale. Bloomberg crypto analyst James Seyffart suggests the move is linked to a recent partnership with Coinbase.
Under the agreement, Coinbase will be responsible for the custody of digital assets seized by US authorities. The United States currently has 213,543 bitcoins, valued at around US$75 billion, in addition to US$2 billion in other cryptoassets. This amount places the US among the top ten holders of the cryptocurrency, raising fears about possible sales and the negative impact on the asset's price due to selling pressure.
The transfer occurred two days after former US President Donald Trump declared that he would not sell any units of the cryptocurrency if he were elected again, defending its use as a store of value.
