We've seen bitcoin gaining traction among companies ranging from porn merchants through to car dealerships. But this may be the first time we've seen a country adopting it as a currency – well, a country of sorts. The Principality of Sealand has expressed an interest in adopting bitcoin.

"Prince Michael" Bates, of the quirky, self-proclaimed independent state, expressed interest in the virtual currency during an interview on the Reddit site. Speaking in an 'ask me anything' (AMA) interview, the son of Sealand founder Roy Bates was asked if the state could print its own money. "Yes, we are looking at ways to do it securely. Also bitcoin sounds really interesting if they stabilise," Bates said.

Sealand used to be a Royal Navy fort. Located six miles off the coast of Suffolk, it lies outside UK territorial waters. Occupied by Roy Bates in 1967, it was  to be the site of a pirate radio broadcasting station. The station never made it to the site, but Bates decided to stay there with his family.

Today, Sealand uses the Sealand Dollar, which it pegs to the US dollar. It also runs its own gift shop, selling coffee mugs, T-shirts, and other paraphernalia. There’s no sign of a bitcoin address up there yet, though. Clearly, Prince Michael is still floating the idea...