US Indo-Pacific Command Says It Is Operating a Bitcoin Node, Sees 'Huge Potential'

The US Indo-Pacific Command, or INDOPACOM, is operating a Bitcoin node.

CoinDesk reported on April 23 that Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of INDOPACOM, told a House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 22 that the US military is "currently operating a node on the Bitcoin network."

The military is not mining Bitcoin, he said. Instead, it is monitoring network activity and conducting tests to help securely protect networks that use the Bitcoin protocol. It marks the first time an active-duty US commander has publicly acknowledged the military's participation in the Bitcoin network.

Paparo said Bitcoin has "huge potential" as a tool for US power projection. He added that it also has substantial potential as a national security tool.

Some have interpreted the move as a sign that the US may be testing Bitcoin as part of its national security infrastructure. CoinDesk said it was notable that a US military command is running a Bitcoin node, particularly because INDOPACOM oversees US military operations across the Indo-Pacific, including strategic competition with China.

A Bitcoin node is a computer that stores the blockchain's full transaction history and validates and relays transactions according to the network's rules. Unlike mining, it does not receive separate rewards and does not require specialized equipment.