The US SEC Chairman will not participate in the work of confiscating Bitcoin from the Venezuelan government. The progress of the CLARITY Act review this Thursday may continue to be hindered.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins, in an interview with Fox Business, responded to the question of whether the United States would confiscate the Bitcoin allegedly held by Venezuela, stating that "it's still to be seen."

Atkins emphasized that he would not intervene in this matter and would leave it to other government departments to handle.

This statement comes amid heightened market attention following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, amid rumors that the country holds $60 billion worth of Bitcoin.

Although reports suggest Venezuela holds approximately 600,000 Bitcoins (worth about $60 billion), this information has not been confirmed by blockchain analysts or intelligence platforms.

The release of this news is not unfounded, as the Maduro regime has previously been involved in the cryptocurrency space.

For example, in 2018, they launched a digital currency backed by oil called "Petro," but there is currently no concrete evidence proving they hold large Bitcoin reserves.

It is worth noting that at the time Atkins made these remarks, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee was planning to review the "Digital Asset Market Transparency Act" (CLARITY Act) on Thursday.

The bill was passed by the House of Representatives in July 2025, but due to the government shutdown from October to November last year, the Senate's review process has been delayed by several months.

Additionally, considering the midterm elections in 2026 and the potential for a new government shutdown at the end of January, the bill may face further delays.

Currently, the bill's progress faces multiple obstacles. For example, banks and some cryptocurrency companies generally express concerns about the provisions related to stablecoin rewards; many Democrats also call for stronger moral constraints and clearer regulations for decentralized finance.

Fortunately, early drafts indicate that legislators intend to grant the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) greater authority over digital asset regulation, a trend that could significantly impact the future landscape of crypto regulation.

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