Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, recently informed the Senate Armed Services Committee that his unit is operating a Bitcoin (BTC) node and conducting real-world tests with the protocol.
The April 21, 2024 hearing marked the first time a U.S. combat commander publicly XEM Bitcoin as a strategic national security asset during congressional hearings.
Bitcoin as a 'power projection' tool.
Responding to a question from Senator Tommy Tuberville (Republican – Alabama), Paparo described Bitcoin as “a method of transferring value directly between individuals, without the need for mutual trust” and emphasized that anything that helps enhance national synergy “is a good thing .”
He also stated that these studies focus on the field of computer science rather than monetary policy.
According to him, the proof-of-work mechanism "has many important applications in computer science for security," including data protection and increasing the actual cost to adversaries when conducting cyberattack campaigns .
"We are currently operating a node on the Bitcoin network. We are conducting numerous real-world tests to ensure the security and protection of the network using the Bitcoin protocol," he Chia .
The admiral is also willing to provide further classified information if requested.
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The broader strategic context
Paparo's remarks align with the growing trend in the United States to XEM Bitcoin at a national level. Lawmakers have recently pushed for the Bitcoin Act as well as establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve through executive order .
In addition, Major Jason Lowery's paper "Softwar" suggested that proof-of-work could Vai as a form of power projection in cyberspace .
Senator Tuberville raised the issue in the context of competition with China , while also highlighting that leading monetary research institutes in Beijing have published their own strategic reports on Bitcoin.
The Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) currently oversees approximately 380,000 military personnel across the Asia-Pacific region, which is a key front in the US-China strategic competition.
As of April 22, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense had not yet issued any official statement clarifying the scope of these tests.
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