Germany recently faced backlash over its decision to sell 54,000 Bitcoins (BTC) at a price of $57,900 last year, a move that has proven to be one of the most significant miscalculations in governmental financial history.
The early sale resulted in an estimated loss of $3.51 billion in potential profits, as Bitcoin prices experienced a remarkable surge, climbing past $123,000 to set new all-time highs.
From the Bitcoin sales conducted in 2024, the German government managed to secure $3.13 billion. However, had officials opted to retain their holdings until the cryptocurrency’s recent peak, they could have amassed $6.64 billion.
Since Germany’s average sale price, Bitcoin has appreciated by over 100%, with daily trading consistently exceeding $104,000 during late June and July 2025.
At present, Germany’s remaining Bitcoin holdings amount to a mere 0.0069 BTC, valued at approximately $839.76, according to data from Arkham Intelligence.
This move places Germany among the few major governments to entirely liquidate their Bitcoin assets, while other countries continue to adopt various strategies for accumulation and selective sales.
The missed opportunity coincided with a worldwide trend towards establishing Bitcoin strategic reserves.
Numerous nations and corporations have announced initiatives to create or bolster their Bitcoin holdings, signaling a growing interest in the digital currency.
Strategic Sellers Capitalize While Germany Exits
El Salvador’s approach to Bitcoin is one of the most notable successes in utilizing strategic reserves. Under President Nayib Bukele, the country holds 6,237 BTC valued at over $760 million, nearly tripling from the initial cost of approximately $42,000.
Bukele pioneered the legal tender status for Bitcoin in 2021 and has strategically acquired assets during market downturns. Recently, he mocked U.S. senators proposing the El Salvador Accountability Act of 2025, aimed at investigating the country’s Bitcoin practices and exploring possible sanctions.
In contrast to Germany’s strategy, Bhutan has exhibited impressive market timing compared to other sovereign holders. The Royal Government of Bhutan recently shifted $23.73 million worth of Bitcoin to Binance as BTC reached record highs exceeding $112,000 on July 10.
Bhutan government moves $23.73M Bitcoin to Binance perfectly timing $BTC’s $112K ATH, maintaining massive 11,711 $BTC worth $1.3B with superior market strategy.#Bhutan #Bitcoinhttps://t.co/ghEZF0AnO8
— Finance Newso.com (@Finance Newso) July 10, 2025
The Himalayan nation sold 213 BTC at the peak, maintaining a substantial holding of 11,711 BTC worth around $1.3 billion. Bhutan has consistently capitalized on market peaks, optimizing returns compared to passive holding methods.
Its Bitcoin accumulation strategy is supported by sustainable mining operations harnessing hydroelectric energy. The country began mining in April 2019 when prices hovered around $5,000, steadily building reserves through energy-efficient practices that now account for over 25% of the nation’s GDP.
Global Reserve Movement Gains Momentum
As global adoption grows, Kazakhstan has officially revealed plans to create a state crypto reserve. National Bank Chairman Timur Suleimenov disclosed that confiscated criminal assets, as well as state-backed mining endeavors, will fund this initiative.
The Central Asian country has emerged as a significant mining hub since Chinese operations relocated due to regulatory crackdowns in 2021, briefly controlling more than 27% of global Bitcoin mining before scaling down to 4% following new regulations implemented by 2023.
In a similar vein, Texas became the first U.S. state to institute a Bitcoin reserve fund after Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 21 into law in June.
Texas has officially joined the small but growing list of U.S. states moving toward on-chain finance, passing a bill that protects Bitcoin reserves.#Texas #Bitcoinhttps://t.co/kBh6nFgROs
— Finance Newso.com (@Finance Newso) June 22, 2025
The independent reserve fund will be managed separately from the state treasury and supervised by Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar.
Pakistan also announced a government-led Bitcoin strategic reserve at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas. Bilal bin Saqib, head of the Pakistan Crypto Council, confirmed the government’s commitment to permanently holding Bitcoin without selling it, marking a significant policy shift from its previous anti-crypto stance, which had declared cryptocurrencies illegal two years prior.
As governmental initiatives evolve, corporate interest has surged as well. The Norwegian deep-sea mining company Green Minerals plans to raise up to $1.2 billion to secure Bitcoin reserves as part of a broader focus on blockchain technology.
Moreover, Strategy recently disclosed the acquisition of 4,225 BTC for approximately $472.5 million, priced at about $111,827 per bitcoin, culminating in a total holding of 601,550 BTC, which has been acquired for around $42.87 billion.
Strategy has acquired 4,225 BTC for ~$472.5 million at ~$111,827 per bitcoin and has achieved BTC Yield of 20.2% YTD 2025. As of 7/13/2025, we hodl 601,550 $BTC acquired for ~$42.87 billion at ~$71,268 per bitcoin. $MSTR $STRK $STRF $STRD https://t.co/cdUkviddqp
— Michael Saylor (@saylor) July 14, 2025
Currently, government-held Bitcoin totals 529,705 BTC, valued at over $64 billion among nine countries. The United States leads with 207,189 BTC, amounting to $25.18 billion in value, followed closely by China, which holds 194,000 BTC worth $23.58 billion.
The post Germany Sold 54,000 BTC at $57.9K Last Year – You Won’t Believe How Much They’re Worth Now appeared first on Finance Newso.
