Trump's Energy Gambit: Venezuela's Oil Under US Control, Bitcoin Reserves Next

The beginning of 2026 marked radical changes in Latin American geopolitics. Following the recent special operation to detain Nicolás Maduro, the Donald Trump administration has moved rapidly to exploit Venezuela's resources. As tankers prepare to load the "black gold," experts are discussing the White House's new goal: the world's largest sovereign cryptocurrency reserves.

Oil Deal: Billions of Dollars Under Personal Control

President Trump officially confirmed that Venezuela's "interim authorities" have agreed to transfer 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. According to the president's statement in Truth Social, the crude will be sold at market prices. At a current price of around $56 per barrel, the deal could be worth up to $2.8 billion.

A key feature of the agreement is that the proceeds will be under the direct control of the US President. The heads of major energy corporations—Exxon, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips—have already been invited to the Oval Office to discuss the long-term strategy. Donald Trump's plan is clear: not just a one-time withdrawal of resources, but a complete reboot of the oil industry in a country with the world's largest proven hydrocarbon reserves.

Maduro's Cryptocurrency Legacy: The Secret of the "Shadow Reserve"

Once the issue of physical oil deliveries was resolved, the focus shifted to Caracas's digital assets. For years, the Maduro regime used Bitcoin as a tool to circumvent international sanctions, creating a so-called "shadow BTC reserve."
Today, valuations of this asset vary wildly:

Maximum Expectations: Project Brazen analysts, citing their sources, cite an astronomical figure of $60 billion.
Official dаta: The Bitcointreasuries.net platform records only 240 BTC (approximately $22 million).
Reality: The exact amount remains unknown, as on-chain analytics do not allow for the definitive identification of all wallets belonging to the ousted government.

Bitcoin as an Ideal Trophy for a Strategic Reserve

Washington's interest in Venezuelan Bitcoin has a clear strategic basis. In 2025, Trump signed a historic executive order establishing the US National Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. One of the decree's main objectives was to replenish the fund without burdening the budget or taxpayers.

Confiscation of cryptocurrency from dictatorial regimes fits perfectly with this concept. Unlike oil, which requires complex logistics and refining, Bitcoin can be transferred to a US vault in minutes. The main condition is access to the private keys.

If US intelligence agencies succeed in obtaining access codes from Maduro or members of his inner circle, the US treasury could instantly be replenished with billions of dollars in assets. This would not only be a massive financial injection but also set a precedent for digital assets becoming the ultimate prize in modern geopolitical struggles.