On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, I sat down with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to discuss his Bitcoin vision for America.
We discussed the U.S. Department of Commerce’s new investment accelerator that will benefit Bitcoin mining companies; why he views bitcoin as a commodity, like gold; and why it’s only natural that the Bitcoin industry finds a home in the United States.
Bitcoin Miners to Benefit from Investment Accelerator
On March 31, 2025, the Commerce Department launched an investment accelerator.
The aim of the accelerator is to help firms that want to invest in America get new projects off the ground.
It assists by making clear to companies what regulations they must understand, and it helps them to obtain the necessary permits.
Secretary Lutnick envisions the investment accelerator being beneficial to Bitcoin mining companies.
“We’re going to make it so that if you want to mine Bitcoin and you find the right place to do it, you can build your own power plant next to it,” said Secretary Lutnick in the interview.
“You don’t necessarily need to be on the grid, and you are going to see this happen: miners are going to put their data centers on top of gas fields, and then put a plant right next to them so that they won’t be behold to drawing power [from the existing grid],” he added, alluding to the notion that Bitcoin miners can use waste gas to power their operations.
“You’ll see the next generation of miners in America will be able to control their destiny and control the cost of power, [which], I think, is going to turbocharge Bitcoin mining in America.”
Bitcoin as a Commodity
Toward the middle of the interview, Lutnick expressed that he views bitcoin as a commodity and not as a currency.
“Bitcoin is a commodity, and it should be treated like a commodity,” said Secretary Lutnick.
“It should be treated like oil. It should be treated like gold,” he added.
“It’s not a currency.”
Secretary Lutnick stated that in treating bitcoin as a commodity, he might consider having the Bureau of Economic Affairs (BEA) employ bitcoin in its calculations the same way it employs gold.
Currently, the BEA uses gold to refine and calculate its National Economic Accounts, which includes GDP. The bureau also accounts for gold in trade statistics, recording gold exports and imports as part of its International Transactions Accounts (ITAs).
Bitcoin Is Welcome in the United States
Secretary Lutnick stressed that the Bitcoin industry is welcome in the United States.
He noted that the current administration has true Bitcoin believers in it, like himself and White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, and that he wants to see Bitcoin thrive in America.
“America is the most extraordinary business place on Earth,” said Secretary Lutnick.
He added that the goal is for the Bitcoin industry to figure out how to “win in America” because the Trump administration plans to help the industry achieve the highest degree of success here, an approach that is the polar opposite approach of the previous administration’s.
“It was treated under the Biden administration like you were doing something wrong,” said Secretary Lutnick.
“Now you have that in the rear view mirror, and it’ll never come back,” he added.
And when he said “never,” he didn’t just mean never as far as the Trump administration is concerned. He meant that the United States is a Bitcoin country from here on out.
“You’ve never seen the United States of America embrace something and then turn their back on it later,” said Secretary Lutnick. “That’s never happened.”