US probes Venezuela crypto ties amid $60 billion Bitcoin speculations

US officials, including Patrick Witt of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, are scrutinizing potential digital assets linked to the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela as part of a broader national security review into how the regime was financed. This investigation follows widespread speculation, fueled by reports like those from Whale Hunting, suggesting the Maduro government may have secretly accumulated up to $60 billion in Bitcoin through schemes involving gold sales, oil-for-crypto deals, and seizing mining operations, with ally Alex Saab allegedly managing the funds. However, publicly available data contradicts these massive claims; BitcoinTreasuries.NET lists Venezuela with only about 240 BTC (around $21 million), and major blockchain analytics firms like Nansen and Chainalysis express skepticism due to a lack of supporting on-chain evidence.

(Source：Crypto Briefing)