How about the govt hoards neither asset and instead lets the private sector acquire any and all future gains? Sell the gold. Sell the Bitcoin. The asset side of the US "balance sheet" is not a vault of inert financial goods. The true asset sheet for the US consists of its immense natural resources, bi-coastal landmass, vast network of rivers, military strength, innovative technology companies, institutions that uphold rule of law, robust financial markets, and the productive capacity of the wealthiest citizens on the planet. These combine to bolster our "likelihood to repay" thus our creditworthiness. This is less true for nations on the periphery of the financial system, whose native currency is not used as a lubricant of global commerce. The US is unique. Let the people own the wealth.