Bitcoin’s white paper marked 18 years since its publication on Oct. 31, 2008, as funds and governments took a growing interest in the asset. The U.S. approved spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products on January 10, 2024, but fund shares give investors price exposure, not control of their own bitcoin keys. A March 6, 2025, executive order directed the creation of a U.S. reserve using eligible forfeited bitcoin; it did not announce an unrestricted taxpayer-funded buying program.
Bitcoin’s longer-term security remains an open question as new-coin rewards to miners shrink. Cambridge researchers found that transaction fees made up 0.67% of miner revenue in the 90 days ending October 4, 2026, but said the figure does not establish an imminent security crisis.
