It has been revealed that the ABD ordusu (U.S. military) considers Bitcoin not only as a financial asset but also as a cyber defense tool from a national security perspective. The issue was officially discussed today at the Indo-Pacific session held by the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Commander Samuel Paparo stated that Bitcoin could play an important role in cybersecurity, especially thanks to the “proof of work” mechanism. Paparo said, “Bitcoin is a reality. Beyond its economic aspect, it offers very important computer science applications in terms of cybersecurity.”

The main concern raised by U.S. officials is that the cost of attacks in cyberspace is nearly zero. While attacks on traditional battlefields require significant economic and physical costs, cyberattacks can be carried out at very low expenses. This creates a broad threat landscape, from spam campaigns to ransomware.

In this context, the “proof of work” system that underpins Bitcoin has the potential to create a measurable physical cost in cyberspace for the first time. In this system, real energy must be expended to verify each transaction or signal. Theoretically, this forces attackers to bear a tangible cost for each attempt.

The academic foundation of this idea was laid by a thesis prepared by Jason Lowery at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lowery describes Bitcoin not as a payment tool but as an “electro-cyber security technology.”

According to this approach, Bitcoin’s true value lies more in its proof of work mechanism than in the blockchain ledger. Because this mechanism makes signal generation in cyberspace costly, it brings the classic deterrence theory into the digital world.

Considering Bitcoin from a defense perspective has become even more significant amid geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. In recent years, a indirect competition has emerged between the U.S. and China over Bitcoin mining and assets. The U.S. has risen to a leading position in the global Bitcoin hash rate. It is estimated that the U.S. government holds approximately 328,000 BTC. China is believed to possess around 190,000 BTC obtained from the PlusToken operation.

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