By Yevheniia Broshevan, Co-Founder and CEO, Hacken
As Hacken’s new CEO, I take on this role at a critical time. National security is no longer defined solely by land, sea and air; it is also contested in code and cryptography. The United States, in particular, faces both immense opportunities and significant threats as blockchain becomes integrated into finance, energy, and critical infrastructure. This is why Hacken is strengthening its presence in the United States: to help secure the digital border and ensure that blockchain strengthens rather than undermines national resilience.
In the United States, the Department of Defense has been testing permissioned blockchains to ensure the security of supply chains and authenticate key components. FEMA reviewed distributed records to track food and medical assistance in disaster areas. Law enforcement uses blockchain analysis to trace illicit funds, track patterns and freeze accounts before money can be moved. This is happening now and not in the distant future.
Our adversaries acted quickly. China has invested more than $54 billion in its national blockchain roadmap, integrating it with the digital yuan, surveillance and payments. Russia is testing symbolic exchanges of energy and raw materials to circumvent sanctions. Iran is building a wholesale CBDC with Russia to bypass SWIFT. And North Korea has stolen more than $11.5 billion in crypto since 2020, funding its weapons program. These are not experiences. These are deliberate strategies.
The management of sensitive data is at the center of the debate. Public channels are transparent and verifiable, but no defense data should be left open. Permissioned blockchains are useful, but they carry the risk of centralization. The best approach is a hybrid approach, with public chains for integrity proofs, permissioned layers for critical data, and advanced cryptography on top of that. Zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption now make it possible to verify or calculate without exposing the raw information. This is where technology is evolving, and Hacken is investing heavily in this direction.
Of course there are risks. Reliance on foreign hardware opens the door to attacks on the supply chain. Public channels can be limited by sanctions. Decentralization makes it harder to attribute bad actors. Smart contract exploits and bugs remain constant threats. And hostile states continue to use blockchain as a weapon for theft and evasion.
The next step is closer integration. Public agencies and private security auditors should work side by side. A national Solarium Commission on blockchain and digital assets would help align U.S. efforts, just as the Cyberspace Solarium Commission did in 2020. Europe would benefit from a similar approach.
Any new technology carries risks, but the greatest danger lies in hesitation while adversaries move forward. Trust in economies and infrastructure will increasingly depend on trust in the chain itself. To protect this trust, governments and private security experts must work side by side. The United States should move quickly to create a Solarium Commission on Blockchain and Digital Assets, aligning its national strategy as it has with cyberspace. At Hacken, we are committed to working with American institutions to make this collaboration a reality. Securing the chain is no longer an option, it is a strategic imperative, and the time to act is now.
* The Digital Room latest report: “Blockchain and National Security: A Strategic Imperative,” which explores the role of blockchain in U.S. national security. Hacken is a founding member of the Digital Chamber.
