Taiwan's Ministry of Justice disclosed it holds 210.45 Bitcoin (BTC) seized from criminal cases as of October 31.
Legislator Ko Ju-Chun revealed the figure on December 18, stating the holdings could rank Taiwan eighth globally among governments with Bitcoin.
The disclosure arrives as Taiwan debates whether to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve using confiscated cryptocurrency.
What Happened
Taiwan's Ministry of Justice confirmed holding 210.45 BTC worth approximately $18 million at current prices.
Ko Ju-Chun, vice co-chair of the U.S.-Taiwan Caucus, requested the disclosure as part of legislative inquiries.
The Bitcoin represents only a portion of Taiwan's seized cryptocurrency holdings.
Total confiscated digital assets exceed NT$1.3 billion, including 17.46 million USDT and 2,429 Ethereum (ETH).
Officials have not announced plans to liquidate the seized Bitcoin.
The holdings stem from Taiwan's crackdown on cryptocurrency-related crime.
In August, prosecutors charged 14 individuals in the BitShine exchange case for defrauding 1,539 victims of NT$1.27 billion between January 2024 and April 2025.
In early November, Taipei prosecutors detained 25 people and seized NT$4.5 billion in assets linked to Cambodia's Prince Holding Group.
The group allegedly operated forced-labor scam compounds conducting cryptocurrency fraud.
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Why It Matters
Taiwan's disclosure places it among governments holding Bitcoin through law enforcement rather than strategic acquisition.
Taiwan's government promised to release an assessment report by year-end 2025 examining the feasibility of converting seized assets into strategic reserves.
Ko Ju-Chun has advocated for Taiwan to consider Bitcoin as part of national reserves.
Any strategic reserve proposal would require legislative approval and coordination among multiple agencies.
Taiwan's central bank has separately pushed for tighter stablecoin oversight, requesting authority to supervise issuers.
The Financial Supervisory Commission's draft Virtual Asset Services Act cleared initial cabinet review.
Taiwan's approach differs from El Salvador's strategy, focusing on managing law enforcement seizures rather than market purchases.
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