I could see the fundamental promise of a digital currency free of banks if you were living in a failing state like Venezuela or an overtly authoritarian one like China or Iran, but how was this relevant to the vast number of Bitcoin boosters living in stable Western democracies governed by the rule of law?

So Canadians who donated to the truckers should now sleep with one eye open for the next several months, lest they have their bank accounts frozen, and indictments filed on the basis of laws enacted to prevent financing of terrorism? Or maybe their bank will simply preemptively cancel their accounts if they appeared on the hacked list of donators from GiveSendGo?

This is crazy. Absolutely bonkers. Terrifying.

It reminds me of the Snowden revelations. Prior to him bringing proof, the idea that America was processing all the emails in the world, recording any phone call anywhere at will, and monitoring all internet traffic just seemed so hyperbolic. I remember discussing this with a friend in the 2000s when the rumors of Echelon had gained some traction. I just didn't seem believable until it was undeniable.

I'm sitting with that same feeling here. Even just a few months ago, I would not have found it credible if you said a three-week peaceful protest in Canada could have lead to martial law, frozen bank accounts, and terrorist-financing laws being used to hunt protest donors. Unbelievable then, undeniable now.

It's clear to me now that I was too hasty to completely dismiss crypto on the basis of all the things wrong with it at the moment. Instead of appreciating the fundamental freedom to transact that it's currently our best shot at protecting.