Bitcoin Policy Hour Ep. 14: China's "Gold War", US Adds 127k BTC to Reserve?

In episode 14 of the Bitcoin Policy Hour, the BPI team breaks down one of the most consequential stories in Bitcoin policy to date. The U.S. government has seized one of the largest Bitcoin troves in history — approx. 127,000 BTC — from a massive “pig-butchering” scam ring. With the now-enacated SBR, the federal government is now empowered to add this to its hoard of Bitcoin.The team unpacks the legal and game theoretic implications of this: from the incentive for further legal enforcement, to the precedent this sets for asset forfeiture and Bitcoin regulation going forward.They also explore how China’s ongoing gold-buying spree is reshaping the global monetary order and what it means for the U.S. as bitcoin begins competing head-to-head with gold as the world’s next reserve asset.⭐ Joined by special guests Ken Egan and Stephen Pollock of BPI🔶 Connect with Zack Shapiro on X: https://x.com/zackbshapiro🔶 Connect with Zack Cohen on X: https://x.com/zackcohen_🔶 Connect with Ken Egan on X: https://x.com/Bayman11771🔶 Connect with Stephen Pollock on X: https://x.com/spollockbtc🔶 Learn more about the Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/Chapters:00:00 – Intro: Gold, Bitcoin, and the Debasement Trade02:00 – DOJ Takes Down Global Pig Butchering Ring06:07 – How the Scam Works & Why Victims Are Vulnerable10:16 – Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: Restitution, Seizures & Policy Impact14:22 – Nation-State Implications: China, Ransomware & Global Threats24:47 – The Clarity Act and Regulatory Landscape31:05 – Politics, Lobbying & Industry Response38:17 – Gold vs. Bitcoin: The Global Reserve Showdown46:01 – Bitcoin as National Power: Strategic Advantage Explained56:45 – Final Thoughts: Future Policy, Elections, and What’s Next