US lawmaker pushes Bitcoin self-custody protections amid revived reserve bill

• Rep. Nick Begich said Bitcoin self-custody is fundamentally tied to sovereignty, privacy and personal financial control.
• The lawmaker stated that he will reintroduce a rebranded Bitcoin reserve bill, known as ARMA.
• Begich argued congressional action is needed to protect Bitcoin reserve policy and prevent future administrations from reversing executive orders.

US Rep. Nick Begich declared Bitcoin self-custody as "fundamental to the principles of financial sovereignty, case privacy and personal liberty," at the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas. He argued that developing laws to promote self-custody is good for the crypto industry.

Speaking at a panel session alongside Joe Kelly and Zach Herbert, Begich read a revived legislation tied to a US strategic Bitcoin reserve.

He stated that the measure affirms and protects individuals' lawful control over Bitcoin and other digital assets.

"Recognizing that the ability to maintain self-custody of private keys is fundamental to financial sovereignty, privacy, and personal liberty," Begich said.

Begich ties Bitcoin ownership rights to strategic reserve legislation

The remarks framed self-custody as a protected right tied to broader constitutional and property principles. Begich shared that governments facing fiscal pressure have historically targeted hard assets.

"History could be quite instructive when looking at the importance of self-custody," he said, arguing that Bitcoin held across millions of private wallets is far more resistant to confiscation than assets concentrated with a small number of custodians.

The comments come as Begich prepares to reintroduce his strategic reserve legislation under a new name, the American Reserves Modernization Act (ARMA). The bill, previously introduced alongside Cynthia Lummis as the BITCOIN Act, would seek to codify President Donald Trump's executive order establishing a permanent US Bitcoin reserve.

"We're trying to make sure that Bitcoin is treated like the reserve asset that it is," Begich said.

The BITCOIN Act aimed to spur the acquisition of up to 1 million BTC over 5 years through budget-neutral mechanisms, while requiring long-term custody by government agencies. 

Begich said the rebrand is intended to broaden bipartisan support and reinforce Bitcoin's treatment as a strategic reserve asset. He also stressed that congressional action is needed to preserve such policies and prevent future administrations from reversing them.