Does Venezuela Really Hold $60B in Bitcoin?
Mauricio Di Bartolomeo explains why Venezuela is unlikely to have a $60B bitcoin reserve.
Jan 6, 2026
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ABOUT
Ledn co-founder Mauricio Di Bartolomeo says the rumors surrounding Venezuela's alleged $60 billion bitcoin "shadow reserve," are very unlikely. Drawing on his personal history in the country, including the day his family’s mining facility was seized by the government, Mauricio explains why systemic corruption and failing infrastructure make a treasury of this size nearly impossible.
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Read more: https://www.coindesk.com/opinion/2026/01/06/don-t-hold-your-breath-for-venezuela-s-bitcoin
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Check out CoinDesk’s research report on the State of Blockchain 2025 commissioned by Input Output Group: https://www.coindesk.com/research/state-of-the-blockchain-2025 - Timecodes: 00:00 The Escape from Venezuela
01:39 Bitcoin Mining in Venezuela
03:36 Government Crackdown on Miners
06:03 Debunking the $60 Billion Bitcoin Stash
10:39 Corruption and Mismanagement
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This episode was hosted by Jennifer Sanasie.
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