Bitcoin in 2025: Record Highs, Government Reserves, and Market Dynamics
In 2025, Bitcoin reached unprecedented heights, peaking at around $126,000 in October, with a notable dip to $76,000 in April amid a U.S. trade war. By December 15, Bitcoin commanded 57.6% of the $3 trillion crypto market, up from 48% at the beginning of the year.
The U.S. government took significant steps by establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve through an executive order signed by President Trump. Officials estimated that the U.S. owned approximately 200,000 BTC worth $18.1 billion at the time, with holdings secured in a Fort Knox–like facility on a budget-neutral basis. Similar moves were considered by other countries, and several U.S. states, including Arizona, New Hampshire, and Texas, approved related measures, while Brazil and Russia discussed comparable initiatives.
Legislatively, Sen. Cynthia Lummis proposed directing the government to purchase more than $100 billion worth of Bitcoin. Meanwhile, federal authorities seized about $14 billion in Bitcoin from a suspected global scam network, reframing criminal proceeds as national asset value.
As of December 1, 71 publicly traded U.S. companies held over 961,000 BTC on their balance sheets—nearly triple the total amount held by governments. However, volatility remains a factor, exemplified by Kindly MD (NAKA) facing delisting after a significant price decline.
In legal developments, the co-founders of Samourai Wallet pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitter. Rodriguez received a five-year sentence, and Hill was sentenced to three years of supervised release. President Trump hinted at a possible pardon. In technology updates, Bitcoin Core version 30 raised OP_RETURN data limits, sparking debates over privacy versus censorship within the Bitcoin community.
