Congressman Issa Introduces Digital Asset Inventory and Audit Act to Find and Protect Digital Assets in Federal Custody

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA-48) introduced the Digital Asset Inventory and Audit Act of 2026, legislation to ensure the federal government identifies, secures, and accounts for cryptocurrency and other digital assets that come into its custody. As federal law enforcement agencies routinely seize computers, phones, and other electronic evidence during investigations, those devices can contain private keys, seed phrases, digital wallets, and other cryptographic information that provide access to digital assets that may be related to criminal activity. What’s missing is a uniform government-wide requirement to identify and account for those assets. The legislation would require federal agencies to identify, secure, and account for digital assets discovered in electronic evidence. It also directs the Department of Justice and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish government-wide standards for handling those assets and requires regular audits and oversight. The legislation creates no new search or seizure authorities and preserves existing legal and privacy protections.