U.S. House Proposes ARMA 2026 Law Dropping 1M BTC Purchase Target, Adding 20-Year Lock-In Period

According to ChainCatcher, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a new bipartisan bill, the American Reserve Modernization Act of 2026 (ARMA), to designate Bitcoin held by the federal government as strategic reserves with a mandatory 20-year lock-in period. Unlike the prior BITCOIN Act, the new proposal removes the requirement for the U.S. government to purchase 1 million BTC, instead directing that Bitcoin acquired through criminal and civil forfeitures be added to reserves.

Bitcoin held in strategic reserves cannot be sold, exchanged, auctioned, pledged, or otherwise disposed of for 20 years. After the lock-in period, the Treasury Secretary may recommend selling up to 10% of reserves within any two-year window. The bill also mandates quarterly public proof of reserves and third-party audits of Bitcoin holdings.