The post SEC Chair Atkins leaves door open to seizing Venezuela’s alleged Bitcoin hoard appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins acknowledged Monday that the possibility of the U.S. government seizing a purportedly massive Bitcoin reserve allegedly tied to Venezuela remains uncertain, signaling openness to action but stopping short of commitment. In an interview, Atkins said he could neither confirm nor rule out whether authorities would pursue the confiscation of an estimated 600,000 Bitcoin (worth roughly $56 billion to $67 billion at current market prices) reportedly tied to the Venezuelan government. However, he stressed that decisions on asset seizure didn’t fall primarily within the SEC’s remit and would be handled by other parts of the U.S. administration. “It remains to be seen,” Atkins said when asked if Washington might move to take control of the cryptocurrency. The alleged Bitcoin holdings first surfaced in crypto circles and media following heightened U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s government, including recent military actions and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Atkins points out the uncertainty surrounding the fate of Venezuela’s BTC holdings As debates concerning Atkins’ statement continued to heat up, the SEC chair acknowledged that it still remained uncertain which move the United States officials might take regarding the 600,000 BTC reported in the event, given the possibility of seizing them. This statement prompted several reporters to reach out to Atkins seeking answers on whether these officials would confiscate the cryptocurrency from the nation. Respondingly, he stated that, “I leave that to others in the administration to deal with — I’m not involved in that.” Notably, this news concerning the BTC holdings in Venezuela began hitting headlines after reports revealed that the U.S. military captured Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, on 3 January 2026 and took him to the United States, particularly in New York, to be prosecuted under Donald Trump’s orders. Following this announcement,…

---

Filed under: News - @ January 13, 2026 2:22 am