The U.S. Treasury will begin applying its expanded long-term Treasury buyback program on Sept. 9, putting the size of its first operation under scrutiny as a potential catalyst for Bitcoin. The Treasury said in August that it would more than double the per-operation limit to at least $4 billion from $2 billion. BTC has risen about 20% since that announcement. Market expectations place the first purchase at $5 billion to $6 billion, while trader Mel Mattison said it could reach as much as $8 billion. A larger-than-expected buyback could help limit further increases in long-term Treasury yields, potentially creating a more supportive environment for risk assets including BTC, Forbes reported.