TLDR;
- Germany sold 50,000 BTC in 2024, missing $2.46 billion as prices later soared.
- El Salvador’s daily Bitcoin buys grew its holdings to 6,000+, earning huge unrealized gains.
- Strategy’s 576K BTC stash is now worth $64B, with $23.8B in profits.
- Trump pledged to keep 200,000+ U.S. government BTC, proposing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
In a striking example of missed opportunity, the German government’s recent sale of nearly 50,000 Bitcoin (BTC) at mid-2024 prices has cost it an estimated $2.46 billion in unrealized gains, as BTC surged past $111,000 to a new all-time high on May 22, 2025.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin advocates including El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele and Strategy’s Michael Saylor are celebrating record-breaking profits amid the cryptocurrency’s meteoric rise.
Germany ’s $2.46B Opportunity Loss
According to tweet by LookOnChain, Germany’s authorities sold 49,858 BTC between June 19 and July 12, 2024, at an average price of about $57,600 per Bitcoin. These holdings, originally confiscated from criminal proceedings tied to the “movie2k” case, were auctioned off through a legally mandated “emergency sale” conducted by the Dresden Public Prosecutor’s Office.
BTC is about to break its all-time high.
The #German government sold 49,858 $BTC($2.87B) at an average price of $57,600 between June 19 and July 12, 2024.
Those 49,858 $BTC are now worth $5.33B, meaning they missed out on a $2.46B profit.https://t.co/rHdZjWpNpF pic.twitter.com/Kuvzgx6Ud3
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) May 21, 2025
At the time of sale, the Bitcoin trove was valued at roughly €2.64 billion (approximately $2.87 billion USD). But with Bitcoin’s price climbing dramatically since then, those same 49,858 BTC are currently worth over $5.33 billion, meaning Germany missed out on a $2.46 billion profit.
Notably, the emergency sale was executed in small tranches over three and a half weeks to avoid disrupting the market, with less than 1% of daily Bitcoin volume sold OTC, minimizing price impact. At the time, German officials cited the volatile nature of Bitcoin as justification for the quick sale under the Code of Criminal Procedure, aiming to prevent a potential loss exceeding 10% in value during ongoing criminal proceedings. However, the rapid price surge post-sale has led to criticism from the Bitcoin community, who view the decision as shortsighted.
El Salvador’s Bitcoin Strategy Yields Huge Gains
In stark contrast, Bitcoin proponents elsewhere are rejoicing. Following the latest surge, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele proudly showcased the Central American nation’s Bitcoin holdings valued at approximately $678 million, with unrealized gains exceeding $386 million. Bukele emphasized El Salvador’s “1 Bitcoin a day” acquisition strategy, which has grown the country’s BTC reserves to 6,184 coins since adopting Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021. His social media posts highlighted a $33 million profit increase in just three days, poking fun at critics who urge selling profits rather than “taking screenshots.”
They said, “Don’t take screenshots, take profits” 🤷🏻♂️ https://t.co/dEKP5Y4qzc pic.twitter.com/2lx8sPWBSJ
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) May 22, 2025
Saylor, Trump Champion Long-Term Bitcoin Holdings
Meanwhile, Strategy, led by outspoken Bitcoin advocate Michael Saylor, is riding the wave of BTC’s price appreciation. The business intelligence firm’s 576,230 BTC stash is now valued at over $64 billion, reflecting a staggering $23.8 billion profit since it start buying BTC in 2020. Notably, Saylor’s approach has transformed MicroStrategy into a widely recognized Bitcoin proxy for investors unable to directly purchase the cryptocurrency. The company’s stock trades at a premium, buoyed by a 10:1 stock split and Saylor’s strong voting influence.
Lets recall that former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly pledged at the 2024 Bitcoin Conference to never sell the U.S. government’s Bitcoin holdings , currently over 200,000 BTC worth upwards of $14 billion. Trump advocated for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to be maintained as a national asset, a stance diverging from previous administrations that liquidated large amounts of seized BTC.
