In an interview, Bo Hines, Executive Director of the Presidential Cryptocurrency Working Group, spoke about the possibility of using customs revenues from imported goods to fund the U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve. This could be an important step in creating a reserve aimed at ensuring the stability and growth of the crypto economy, in accordance with an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump.
This is reported by Business • Media
Specifically, Hines noted that they are exploring various funding sources, including revenues from previously imposed tariffs. President Trump signed an executive order to establish a Bitcoin reserve in early March 2025, which, according to him, should include confiscated crypto assets. Hines emphasized that the team is already working on a concept that will allow for the most effective replenishment of the reserve.
“We have a lot of really smart people working on this. There are several ideas about how to achieve it. We are confident that it is possible. […] We are considering several options. It could be tariffs or something else. We are open to suggestions and are analyzing all available options,” Hines stated.
In addition to customs revenues, Hines also commented on the recent proposal by Senator Cynthia Lummis to fund the reserve by revaluing U.S. Treasury gold certificates. He considers this idea promising, although he noted that his team is exploring all possibilities without focusing on anything specific. According to him, it is important for the reserve to be as large as possible.
“We will make sure to ‘look under every stone’ because we want to make the reserve as large as possible. […] There is no specific threshold,” he emphasized.
During the interview, Hines also discussed important aspects such as the regulatory framework for stablecoins, Trump’s attitude towards Bitcoin, and the integration of blockchain technology into the financial system.