U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM)

Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, confirmed the U.S. military is running a Bitcoin node to conduct operational tests focused on securing networks using Bitcoin's protocol. The military frames Bitcoin as a computer science tool for enhancing network security rather than a financial asset.

U.S. forces interdicted the stateless sanctioned crude oil tanker M/T Tifani in the Indo-Pacific region, which was transferring Iranian oil to China. The vessel, previously sanctioned for facilitating Iranian oil shipments, had loaded oil at Iran's Kharg Island and was heading to China via the Riau Archipelago. The U.S. also recently seized the Iranian-flagged Touska, another ship involved in illicit Iran-China oil routes.

U.S. forces interdicted the stateless sanctioned crude oil tanker M/T Tifani in the Indo-Pacific region, disrupting an illicit Iran-China oil route. The ship, previously sanctioned for facilitating Iranian oil transfers, was found near Sri Lanka and had engaged in 'dark activity' by disabling its tracking system.

Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that Bitcoin's blockchain technology offers strategic value for national security, emphasizing its role in cybersecurity and power projection. He highlighted Bitcoin's peer-to-peer architecture and proof-of-work protocols as tools for deterring cyberattacks, while noting China's growing interest in Bitcoin as a strategic asset.

U.S. forces boarded the sanctioned oil tanker M/T Tifani in the Indian Ocean without incident, as announced by the Pentagon. The action, a 'right-of-visit, maritime' interdiction, was conducted in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.