US government moves 17,795 Bitcoin worth $1.5 billion in three days

The US government has moved 17,795 Bitcoin worth $1.5 billion over the past three days.

When the world's largest known sovereign Bitcoin holder starts moving coins, traders pay attention. The bigger question is not whether the coins moved. It is what Washington plans to do with them.

On-chain trackers have been following the trail. Data documented by Arkham Intelligence and Galaxy Research shows government-linked wallets sent approximately 9,261 BTC, valued at around $770 million, to Coinbase Prime on October 7-8, 2026.

Those transfers did not happen in one dramatic lump. They arrived in batches, which is fairly standard practice when large holders move funds between custody arrangements.

One smaller batch of 833.6 BTC, worth roughly $71.6 million, also landed at Coinbase. It traveled alongside approximately 40,285 BNB, valued at about $31.6 million.

Coinbase Prime is the institutional arm of Coinbase, offering custody and trading services for large clients. It has historically worked with federal agencies, including the US Marshals Service, the office that typically handles forfeited property.

The US government did not buy its Bitcoin. It confiscated it. Major sources include the Bitfinex hack, forfeitures connected to Prince Group, and confiscations tied to Silk Road.