The US government’s decision to establish a Strategic Crypto Reserve has ignited intense discussions, with industry leaders questioning its structure and asset selection.
On March 2, US President Donald Trump revealed that his executive order had directed his administration to create a national crypto reserve. According to him, the initiative aims to solidify the country’s leadership in the digital asset space.
The reserve will include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). However, officials have not disclosed how these assets will be weighted within the reserve.
Industry pushback on altcoins inclusion
The inclusion of multiple cryptocurrencies has raised concerns, as many expected the reserve to focus solely on Bitcoin. Critics argue that adding altcoins complicates the initiative and could create unintended market biases.
Jeff Park, head of Alpha Strategies at Bitwise, criticized the decision as a political miscalculation. He warned that including assets beyond Bitcoin could raise concerns about government favoritism, even if the selection was made objectively.
He stated:
“[The] big problem here is optics. When you include altcoins whose use case is too nascent to be deemed ‘nationally strategic,’ you risk the assumption of inside dealing even if it were patently false. This is politically negative, even among a subset of crypto enthusiasts.”
Meanwhile, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong suggested that a Bitcoin-exclusive reserve would have provided a more straightforward strategy. He proposed that if diversification is necessary, a market-cap-weighted index of digital assets could be a more structured approach.
Armstrong said:
“Just Bitcoin would probably be the best option – simplest, and clear story as successor to gold.”
Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley also weighed in, emphasizing that Bitcoin remains the strongest store of value. While he expressed interest in understanding the reasoning behind the reserve’s asset choices, he argued that a strategic reserve should focus on the most reliable digital asset.
He remarked:
“Many crypto assets have merits, but what we’re talking about here isn’t a US investment portfolio — we’re talking about a reserve, and Bitcoin is the undisputed store of value for the digital age.”
CEO of CrytpoQuant, Ki Young Ju, also weighed in, pointing out that Bitcoin and Ethereum were left out of the original announcement post,
“Trump mentioned XRP, SOL, and ADA first, then brought up BTC and ETH two hours later.
Can I interpret his tweets this way?
‘BTC and ETH, show me your strategic value—for me and the USA. I just closed a deal with XRP, SOL, and ADA.’”
Since Trump’s election, universal moral standards have declined. Now, if something benefits Trump and serves U.S. national interests, it is no longer considered illegal.”
XRP and Cardano defend their inclusion
Supporters of the selected altcoins defended their inclusion, arguing that it was part of a broader win for the emerging industry.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse criticized Bitcoin maximalism, stating that the crypto industry thrives on collaboration. He welcomed the government’s recognition of a multichain future.
According to him:
“[I] appreciate the crypto President Donald Trump’s vision of a govt digital asset reserve representative of the industry. Maximalism is the enemy of the industry’s progress. Glad to see POTUS recognizing we live in a multichain world.”
Similarly, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson highlighted his blockchain’s long-term commitment to security and decentralization and expressed confidence in its ability to contribute meaningfully to the crypto landscape.
Hoskinson said:
“I believe in Cardano so strongly because we worked really hard over the last 10 years to try to build a system that preserves and protects the integrity of the cryptocurrency space as a whole.”
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