Share this article

US Government Awards $600k in Grants for Blockchain Projects

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded as much as $600,000 in grants to companies working on blockchain applications.

Updated Sep 11, 2021, 12:19 p.m. Published Jun 10, 2016, 7:58 p.m.
DHS

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded as much as $600,000 in grants to six companies working on blockchain applications for the government.

According to a press release from earlier this week, the department’s Science and Technology Directorate has parceled out $3.1m in grants to 29 small businesses based in the US in areas focused on data analytics, connected devices and blockchain. Each company received about $100,000, the government said.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters

The funds came from the agency's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, following a solicitation period that began in December.

For the "applicability of blockchain technology to identity management and privacy protection", grants were awarded to four companies: Digital Bazaar, Inc., Respect Network Corporation, Narf Industries LLC and Celerity Government Solutions LLC.

Two additional grants, for "blockchain applications for homeland security analytics", were given to BlockCypher and RAM Laboratories LLC.

The grants come as governments worldwide, including the US government, look at the idea applying blockchain-based solutions to various areas.

Government interest grows

In April

, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced that it was seeking a “secure messaging system” using a “decentralized ledger” for broadcasting encrypted communications.

Military alliance NATO has also indicated interest in this area, announcing a technology innovation contest in May. At the time, the agency said that this system would hypothetically see battlefield applications, as well as broader use for functions within the Department of Defense.

Other governmental organizations globally have pursued similar projects.

Last month, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the executive arm of the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations, unveiled a messaging app designed for law enforcement applications that uses the technology for establishing identity.

Image Credit: Mark Van Scyoc / Shutterstock.com

More For You

Protocol Research: GoPlus Security

GP Basic Image

What to know:

  • As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
  • GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
  • Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.

More For You

Stellar Edges Higher to $0.251 Despite Altcoin Market Apathy

"Stellar (XLM) price chart showing a slight increase to $0.251 amid rising institutional volume and consolidation near $0.25 support."

Trading volume surged 19% above weekly averages as XLM consolidated around critical $0.25 support level.

What to know:

  • XLM gained 0.85% to $0.251 while underperforming broader crypto market by 0.45%.
  • Trading volume spiked 19.36% above 7-day average, signaling institutional interest.
  • Price established volatile consolidation pattern with $0.25 emerging as key support.