One other switch by the US authorities of initially seized Bitcoin from the infamous Silk Highway has sparked widespread hypothesis on Wednesday, August 14. Blockchain analytics agency Arkham reported yesterday that 10,000 Silk Highway BTC, valued at roughly $593.5 million, had been transferred to Coinbase Prime, a platform used primarily for institutional traders.
In keeping with Arkham’s post on X: 10,000 Silk Highway BTC ($593.5M) moved to Coinbase Prime. Pockets bc1ql obtained 10K BTC from a recognized US Authorities pockets 2 weeks in the past. This BTC has simply been despatched on to 33J, a Coinbase Prime deposit pockets.”
Is The US Gov Promoting Bitcoin?
This transaction comes on the heels of a June announcement from the US Marshals Service (USMS), a part of the Division of Justice, detailing a brand new partnership with Coinbase Prime to supply custody and superior buying and selling companies for the company’s “Class 1” (massive cap) digital property. The neighborhood is torn over whether or not these strikes signify the promoting of the Bitcoin or merely a switch for custody functions. Thus, many speculated that the US gov just isn’t promoting.
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Nonetheless, Scott Johnsson, a finance lawyer and common associate at Van Buren Capital, expressed a definite view in the present day, arguing that the transaction indicators a definitive sale of the seized assets by the US authorities. Johnsson remarked:
“Sure, US Marshal Service (USMS) is sort of actually promoting silk highway Bitcoin […] USMS has been sending BTC to a custodial deal with required by the phrases of the servicing settlement […] Given the settlement requires USMS property stay fully segregated, each time a switch is in the end made to CB prime (or different commingled change deal with), you may be certain USMS has already bought or is promoting imminently.”
Johnsson additional supported his declare by referencing the DOJ’s Workplace of Inspector Common (OIG) report and the crypto companies settlement RFP, which stipulate the fast liquidation of property inside 5 enterprise days of forfeiture and the need of segregated pockets addresses to stop co-mingling with different property.
It states: “The USMS intends to resolve this situation utilizing its deliberate cryptocurrency companies contract, which would require the contractor to liquidate cryptocurrency inside 5 enterprise days of the asset being forfeited.”
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Johnsson anticipates that formal affirmation of those gross sales won’t emerge till the publication of the DOJ’s Asset Forfeiture Program FY2024 report in January. Nonetheless, the unfolding occasions might present earlier indications as extra particulars grow to be out there by means of official channels or subsequent asset actions.
“Official affirmation will definitively come (on the newest) upon the DOJ’s Asset Forfeiture Program FY2024 report in January, if not earlier. I additionally don’t suppose it’s a coincidence this started in earnest following the Trump speech.”
Customers on X expressed their confusion relating to Johnsson’s evaluation. Rodeo queried: “These cash had been speculated to be bought by the top of final yr[…] You’re saying the act of transferring these cash to Coinbase from their present deal with is sufficient to suggest promoting as a result of the Coinbase addresses are usually not fully segregated addresses?”
Responding to those issues, Johnsson clarified: “Not essentially Coinbase alone (there’s an interim segregated custody step), however as soon as they hit commingled addresses it’s cheap to deduce they’re bought. And yea, there was a backlog of forfeited BTC that was speculated to be bought already. Finalizing the companies settlement seems to have been (not less than a part of) the maintain up.”
Notably, the newest BTC transaction by the US authorities comes only a few weeks after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed to determine a “strategic nationwide Bitcoin stockpile” on the Bitcoin 2024 convention. After that, rumors emerged that Democrats beneath the lead of Kamala Harris might empty the BTC holdings by the US authorities from confiscations. Whereas Harris pleads to take a extra pro-crypto stance, a number of specialists refuse this declare, based mostly on the newest actions by her.
At press time, BTC traded at $59,336.
Featured picture created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
