The debate over America’s balance-sheet hedges intensified after Pantera Capital CEO Dan Morehead said on CNBC that the United States should pivot from gold to “digital gold,” arguing the country is “sitting on $600 billion in gold.” He urged a move into Bitcoin instead.
$600 Billion Bitcoin Buy
Morehead, a billionaire crypto investor, told CNBC the U.S. holds roughly $600 billion in gold and should “go to digital gold… Bitcoin.” His remarks align with subsequent crypto-media write-ups of the interview.
The United States holds 8,133.5 metric tonnes of gold—unchanged through Q2 2025—according to official central-bank data.
Bitcoin’s New Context in the U.S. Policy Map
Policy talk about a federal “Bitcoin reserve” moved from the fringe to mainstream discussion this year. The Financial Times reported in January 2025 on Washington debates around a strategic BTC reserve and noted the U.S. already controls a sizable trove of seized Bitcoin holdings—estimated in the tens of billions of dollars.
Bitcoin set fresh records this summer, with the Financial Times reporting a new all-time high of about $124,480 in early August 2025, supported by rising institutional demand and friendlier U.S. policy signals.
 
While Morehead advocates the rotation, no U.S. agency has announced a plan to sell gold or purchase Bitcoin in that magnitude.
Why Gold Remains the Baseline
Gold still anchors official reserves worldwide. The U.S. is the largest single holder, at 8,133.5 tonnes, according to the World Gold Council’s country rankings. That stock forms a cornerstone of reserve composition, even as policymakers explore digital-asset exposure.
Morehead’s message—“gold out, BTC in”—is clear, but it remains advocacy rather than policy. The verified facts today: the U.S. holds 8,133.5.tonnes of gold; that cache’s market value can approach the high-hundreds-of-billions depending on spot; and Washington already controls billions in seized Bitcoin while weighing broader crypto policy.
Source: https://zycrypto.com/billionaire-predicts-massive-600-billion-u-s-bitcoin-purchase-gold-out-btc-in/