SEC’s Atkins Weighs In on Venezuela’s $60B Bitcoin Mystery

Crypto News Regulation

SEC’s Paul Atkins Weighs In on Venezuela’s $60 Billion Bitcoin Mystery

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: January 13, 2026

Key Takeaways

SEC Chair Paul Atkins said it is unclear whether US authorities would act to seize Venezuela’s alleged 600,000 BTC holdings;
His comments came after reports that US forces brought Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro to the US for criminal charges in New York;
The claims that Venezuela holds $60 billion in Bitcoin remain unverified as the US Senate prepares to review the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act.

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SEC’s Paul Atkins Weighs In on Venezuela’s $60 Billion Bitcoin Mystery

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Paul Atkins, chairperson of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), spoke in a Fox Business interview on January 12 about claims that Venezuela might hold around $60 billion in Bitcoin BTC $92,046.04 .

Atkins stated that it is still uncertain whether authorities would take any action to seize 600,000 BTC if they had the opportunity.

He made clear that decisions about seizing those digital holdings lie with other parts of the government. Atkins stated in response to a question about whether the US would "take those Bitcoin off 'em": "I leave that to others in the administration to deal with. I'm not involved in that".

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These remarks followed reports that US forces, under direction from President Donald Trump, removed Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the US to face criminal charges in New York.

That decision triggered renewed speculation about government exposure to Venezuela's crypto assets.

At the time of the article's publication, independent blockchain intelligence platforms had not verified Venezuela's claims to holding such a large Bitcoin reserve. Still, the country had previously launched an oil-backed digital currency in 2018.

Atkins's remarks arrived before the US Senate Banking Committee's planned markup of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. The House passed the bill in July, and the Senate review had been delayed by a 43-day government shutdown in October and November.

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