U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick has a vision of Bitcoin for the United States

On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, I sat down with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to discuss his vision for Bitcoin for the United States.

We discuss the new investment accelerator from the U.S. Department of Commerce that will benefit Bitcoin mining companies; why does he view Bitcoin as a commodity, such as gold? And why it’s natural for the Bitcoin industry to find a home in the United States.

Bitcoin miners benefit from investment accelerators

On March 31, 2025, the Ministry of Commerce launched an investment accelerator.

The purpose of the accelerator is to help companies that want to invest in the United States put new projects on the ground.

It assists by clarifying the regulations they must understand and helps them obtain the necessary licenses.

Secretary Lutnick envisions investment accelerators benefiting Bitcoin mining companies.

“We will do this so that if you want to mine Bitcoin and find the right place to build your own power plant next to it,” Secretary Lutnick said in an interview.

“You don’t necessarily need to put it on the grid, you’ll see this: Miners will put their data center on the top of the gas field and then put the plants next to them so that they can’t see the power source mapped [from the existing grid],” he added, suggesting the idea that Bitcoin miners can use exhaust gas to power their operations.

“You’ll see that the next generation of miners in the United States will be able to control their own destiny and control the cost of power, [which]I think, will go to turbocharged bitcoin mining in the United States. ”

Bitcoin as a commodity

During the interview, Lutnick said he regarded Bitcoin as a commodity, not a currency.

Secretary Lutnik said: “Bitcoin is a commodity and should be regarded as a commodity.”

“It should be treated like oil. It should be treated like gold,” he added.

“This is not a currency.”

Secretary Lutnick said that when he treats Bitcoin as a commodity, he might consider having the Bureau of Economic Affairs (BEA) adopt Bitcoin in the calculations, just like using gold.

Currently, the BEA uses gold to refine and calculate its national economic accounts, including GDP. The Bureau also considered gold for trade statistics as part of its International Trading Account (ITA), recording gold exports and imports.

Welcome Bitcoin in the United States

Secretary Lutnick stressed that the Bitcoin industry is welcomed in the United States.

He noted that the current administration has real Bitcoin believers in it, like himself, White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, who wanted to see Bitcoin flourish in the United States.

Secretary Lotnik said: “The United States is the most extraordinary place of business on earth.”

The goal is for the Bitcoin industry to figure out how to “win the United States” as the Trump administration plans to help the industry achieve the highest success, which is the polar opposite approach of the previous administration.

Secretary Lotnick said: “Under the Biden administration, it’s like you’re doing something wrong.”

He added: “Now you have it in the rearview mirror and it will never come back.”

When he says “never,” he doesn’t just mean what the Trump administration means. He means that from now on, the United States is a Bitcoin country.

“You’ve never seen the United States of America embrace something and introduce it again,” said Secretary Lutnik. “That never happened.”