Bitcoin surpasses $77,000 after US army reveals blockchain tests

The US military disclosed it is operating a live Bitcoin node and running cybersecurity tests, prompting a strong market reaction: BTC climbed past $77,000 on April 22 after Admiral Samuel Paparo’s testimony. The announcement, framed as a computer-science and network-defense initiative rather than a bet on Bitcoin’s price, reinforced narratives about Bitcoin’s strategic and infrastructure value. The rally was amplified by large-scale buying — Michael Saylor’s firm acquired 34,164 BTC (over $2.5bn in trading volume) — tightening available supply and pushing the Fear & Greed Index to a three-month high. Legislative moves (the Mined in America Act and talk of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve) and continued crypto theft risk (Lazarus Group’s ~$600m April thefts) add mixed tail risks, but near-term market sentiment is bullish.