Does Maduro really hide 60 billion USD worth of BTC?
【Plain Language Summary】On January 3, 2026, U.S. special forces arrested Venezuelan President Maduro, sparking rumors: his regime may hold 600,000 to 660,000 bitcoins, worth $60-67 billion, comparable to MicroStrategy's holdings.
The rumors originate from the Petro scam, embezzlement of $21 billion in oil revenue from PDVSA, and military mining. However, there is a lack of on-chain evidence, and the figures may be overstated. The private keys might be held by Alex Saab, Maduro's son, and others. If the rumors are true, FBI seizure would benefit the market; if they are lost and sold off, it could trigger a crash.
Overall, these remain unverified rumors, highlighting the double-edged sword of cryptocurrencies circumventing sanctions.
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Does Maduro really hide 60 billion USD worth of BTC?
【Plain Language Summary】On January 3, 2026, U.S. special forces arrested Venezuelan President Maduro, sparking rumors: his regime may hold 600,000 to 660,000 bitcoins, worth $60-67 billion, comparable to MicroStrategy's holdings.
The rumors originate from the Petro scam, embezzlement of $21 billion in oil revenue from PDVSA, and military mining. However, there is a lack of on-chain evidence, and the figures may be overstated. The private keys might be held by Alex Saab, Maduro's son, and others. If the rumors are true, FBI seizure would benefit the market; if they are lost and sold off, it could trigger a crash.
Overall, these remain unverified rumors, highlighting the double-edged sword of cryptocurrencies circumventing sanctions.
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