Cathie Wood Predicts When Trump Could Finally Start Buying Bitcoin for the US Reserve

Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood has predicted when President Donald Trump could finally begin buying Bitcoin for the US strategic reserve.

Notably, Trump met a major campaign promise to the crypto community by approving the order to establish a Bitcoin reserve. However, the reserve has only held Bitcoin seized through enforcement actions. Notably, the order limited purchases to budget-neutral options, and nearly a year later, the government has not found a workable way to buy Bitcoin under such rules.

Wood discussed this issue during the latest episode of Ark Invest’s Bitcoin Brainstorm show, alongside Bitcoin Park founder Rod Roudi and Ark Invest digital assets research director Lorenzo Valente. 

During the segment, Roudi suggested that the previous year, 2025, was an important moment for Bitcoin. However, he asked Wood and Valente to share their expectations for 2026, aligning with Ark Invest’s tradition of annual crypto market predictions.

Wood Expects Trump to Buy Bitcoin in 2026

Responding, Wood focused on politics. Notably, she said the 2026 midterm elections could push Trump to take clearer action on crypto. To her, Trump wants to avoid being a lame duck later in his term, and this could push him to deliver visible results before the elections. As a result, she expects him to move beyond holding seized Bitcoin and begin making direct purchases.

Wood added that Trump will likely work with his crypto and AI czar, David Sacks, to improve regulatory clarity and support crypto adoption. She pointed out that the original plan for the reserve aimed to reach as much as one million Bitcoin, yet the government has not taken steps toward buying any so far.

For context, Senator Cynthia Lummis suggested in March 2025 that her BITCOIN Act, which proposes that the U.S. government purchase and hold up to 1 million BTC for the Bitcoin reserve, could be the solution to the country’s national debt problem. However, the legislation has not made significant progress so far.

According to Wood, Trump has several reasons to change course regarding the Bitcoin reserve. She said support from the crypto community helped him win the presidency and could again play a role in the midterms. She also noted that Trump’s family has significant investments in Bitcoin and other digital assets, which increases his interest in the sector.

Wood emphasized that Trump wants to remain productive during the remaining years of his presidency. According to her, he likely sees crypto as a major part of the country’s economic and technological future. However, Valente pointed out that the executive order only permits budget-neutral ways for BTC purchases.

Stronger US Economic Growth in 2026

In response, Wood said her second prediction for 2026 is stronger US economic growth next year. This could come from business-friendly policies, including lower effective corporate taxes and accelerated depreciation rules. She said the US now offers one of the lowest effective corporate tax rates among developed countries.

According to her, accelerated depreciation allows companies to deduct the full cost of major investments in their first year of operation. This policy encourages companies to build factories and Bitcoin mining facilities in the US, as it leads to large tax savings.

Wood believes these incentives could boost economic activity and give the government more financial flexibility. She also suggested that the US could gain Bitcoin exposure by investing in Strategy, which holds over 600,000 Bitcoin. To her, this would present a faster path toward the original reserve target.