Bitcoin is a tool of power projection and the U.S. Department of Defense is already running tests to leverage it, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says.
“My short answer would be yes and yes,” Hegseth said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 29, responding to questions from Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) about whether Bitcoin is a tool for power projection and whether Pentagon is conducting any initiative to leverage the network.
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Hegseth said he was a believer in the potential of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, adding that the Pentagon is conducting “classified” experiments to leverage them for American might.
Hegseth’s remarks came after Admiral Samuel Paparo told the committee on April 22 that the U.S. military is running a Bitcoin node, saying it is using it for “operational tests to secure and protect networks.”
The revelations of the experimentation with Bitcoin for defense and military operations by the U.S. came as Iran has demanded Bitcoin payments for passage through the Strait of Hormuz amid the war between the two countries.
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Russia has also used Bitcoin in its oil trade with China and India to evade sanctions, Reuters reported in March 2025, citing four unnamed persons familiar with the matter.
President Donald Trump also in March 2025 established a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve from forfeited assets, saying it would give the U.S. “a strategic advantage” due to the cryptocurrency’s fixed supply.
As Bitcoin continues to be discussed in both geopolitical and institutional contexts, investors are increasingly viewing digital assets as part of a broader, multi-asset approach to portfolio construction across stocks, crypto and alternative investments.
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