Government Bitcoin holdings fell to 645,596 BTC in 2026; Kazakhstan and El Salvador added coins

Crypto News, relaying an AMBCrypto report, says tracked government Bitcoin holdings fell from 647,231 BTC at the start of 2026 to 645,596 BTC, a reduction of 1,635 BTC. Bhutan recorded the sharpest decline among the countries covered, with tracked holdings dropping 91% from 5,984 BTC to 518 BTC, while Kazakhstan and El Salvador were the only two governments to add coins, Kazakhstan with an estimated 3,544 BTC and El Salvador adding 287 BTC. The United States remains the largest state holder at 328,372 BTC, followed by China at 190,000 BTC and the United Kingdom at 61,245 BTC; Crypto News also places Ukrainian officials, reportedly holding 46,351 BTC, fourth and El Salvador fifth at 7,803 BTC. The outlet warns that a fall in tracked holdings does not prove the coins were sold, since assets may have moved to wallets it does not track, and it points to an earlier AMBCrypto report that the U.S. government transferred 833.6 BTC worth $71.6 million to Coinbase Prime on 7 October. The piece also states, without figures, that U.S. institutional investors appear to face stronger selling pressure. Nothing here is confirmed by a government or by more than one outlet.