Admiral Paparo Describes Bitcoin’s Proof-of-Work as a National Security Tool

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The head of US Indo-Pacific Command, Chief Admiral Samuel Paparo, told senators that Bitcoin’s proof-of-work design has cybersecurity applications beyond its role as a financial asset. The remarks came during an April 21 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on US military posture in the Indo-Pacific.

Paparo described Bitcoin as a peer-to-peer, zero-trust transfer system and said its proof-of-work design can impose costs on attempts to compromise or manipulate a network. He said the technology has cybersecurity uses beyond its economic role, while stopping short of announcing any formal military policy around Bitcoin.

Senator Tuberville Ties Bitcoin to US-China Strategic Competition

The exchange followed a question from Senator Tommy Tuberville, who asked how US leadership in Bitcoin could affect deterrence against China. Tuberville pointed to research from a Chinese monetary policy think tank that treated Bitcoin as a strategic asset, framing the issue as part of a wider contest over technology and financial infrastructure.

Paparo did not answer by calling for a Bitcoin reserve or a new Pentagon program. His response was more limited. Bitcoin is already a reality, he said, and tools that support the instruments of US national power can be useful when they strengthen the country’s position.

Paparo Points to Proof-of-Work as a Cybersecurity Model

The national security argument centers on proof-of-work, the system Bitcoin uses to secure its network. Paparo said the design imposes real-world costs on attempts to attack or manipulate the network.

That does not mean the US military is preparing to use Bitcoin as a battlefield payment system. A narrower reading is that Paparo’s remarks show interest in proof-of-work as a security model, especially as cyberattacks, ransomware and state-linked hacking remain part of great-power competition.

A Combatant Commander Puts Bitcoin in a National Security Frame

The remarks put Bitcoin into a different policy context from the usual fights over ETFs, reserves or tax treatment. A senior combatant commander tied the technology to national power in public testimony, giving the crypto industry an unusual defense-sector reference point.

For now, Paparo’s comments show that Bitcoin is being discussed not only as an asset but also as infrastructure that policymakers may need to understand in security terms.