The US military announced that it is actively running a node on the Bitcoin network and conducting cybersecurity tests. This development marked the first time that the government has shown such open interest in blockchain technology beyond the financial world.
Critical Bitcoin move from the US army
Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, announced in his speech to the Senate Armed Services Committee that the military is running a Bitcoin node directly on its network. Paparo stated that they carried out various operational tests to increase the network security capacity using this node.
Admiral Paparo stated that the tests were focused entirely on computer science and network defense. Accordingly, Bitcoin’s decentralized structure, blockchain system, cryptography and proof-of-work mechanism can offer various advantages to the American army in protecting sensitive data. These operational tests carried out by the army over Bitcoin aim to increase the costs of rival countries regarding cyber attacks and increase deterrence in the digital war environment.
“Our interest in Bitcoin is not for the purpose of storing financial value; we are exploring the infrastructure opportunities it offers in terms of computer science and cryptography. Thanks to proof-of-work, strict technical barriers can be created to secure networks,” Admiral Paparo summarized.
USA and China’s Bitcoin competition
The USA and China are waging an important power struggle in the global Bitcoin ecosystem. According to independent data, China holds approximately 190,000 BTC, which it seized in a fraud operation in 2019. This amount created a total reserve of 14.8 billion dollars in the country and shows the weight of China in the sector.
On the other hand, the USA currently has the world’s largest Bitcoin reserve and a large portion of the total global Bitcoin hashrate. In late March, Senators Bill Cassidy and Cynthia Lummis introduced a bill called the Mined in America Act to support Bitcoin mining in the United States. In addition, this law aims to place the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, initiated by Donald Trump, within the legal framework.
Impact on Bitcoin price and cyber threats
This statement from the US army also affected the Bitcoin market. On April 22, following Paparo’s statement, the BTC price surpassed $77,000. CryptoAppsy According to data, this rise of Bitcoin created activity in the markets and the Bitcoin Fear & Greed Index reached its highest level in three months.
Also on the market side, Michael Saylor’s strategy firm’s purchase of 34,164 BTC highlighted the supply squeeze, with a total transaction volume exceeding $2.5 billion. Investor Anthony Scaramucci said that Bitcoin could reach a total market value of $21 trillion in the long term; He stated that in this scenario, one BTC could be worth 1 million dollars.
Admiral Paparo evaluated the GENIUS Act passed by President Trump as an important step in preserving the global superiority of the US dollar. In addition, the Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection Office of the Ministry of Treasury launched a new initiative; By reporting threats to the state, companies can take more effective countermeasures.
The role of external threats such as North Korea in cryptocurrency-based attacks stood out as another reason for the army to test decentralized structures in the field of cyber defense. The fact that Lazarus Group alone carried out a $600 million crypto attack in April 2026 further increased the importance of studies in this field.
