Inventory Act of 2026

This bill establishes comprehensive requirements for Federal agencies regarding the identification, safeguarding, and auditing of digital assets, particularly cryptocurrency private key material, found within electronically stored information (ESI) they collect or seize. Within 180 days of enactment, the Attorney General, in coordination with other key agencies, must issue a binding directive requiring agencies to scan ESI for high-value digital assets and secure them promptly. This directive also mandates annual audits to ensure comprehensive discovery, documentation, and secure handling of all digital assets in government custody.

The legislation further requires agencies to scan ESI for digital assets and associated cryptographic key material as soon as practicable in any criminal, civil, or administrative case involving seizure or forfeiture. The Attorney General, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is tasked with developing technical standards for discovery tools, secure extraction and storage, chain of custody, and access logging. Additionally, the Attorney General must establish training programs for Federal law enforcement and forensic examiners on digital asset handling and audit compliance.

Each Federal agency maintaining custody of ESI must conduct an annual digital asset audit to identify and account for all digital assets, verify secure custody, identify deficiencies, and document corrective actions. Audit findings and remediation measures must be reported to the Attorney General and relevant Congressional committees. To ensure robust oversight, the bill also mandates reviews by the Comptroller General and agency Inspectors General, and allows for the use of Asset Forfeiture Funds to acquire necessary digital forensic tools.