Techno-politics

According to Reuters, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed a decree that combines all national TV channels into one platform, citing the importance of a "unified information policy" under martial law. Continue Reading →

In the metaverse (meta: to describe, verse: egotistically short for universe), everyone lives their ideal lives, visits amazing places, hangs out with incredible people, and has photographic evidence to prove it. In a metaverse, every event is epic, so even mishaps are considered exceptional. How might this evolve? Continue Reading →

President Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday calling on the government to examine the risks and benefits of cryptocurrencies including the potential for a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC). The measures focus on six key areas: consumer protection, financial stability, illicit activity, U.S. competitiveness, financial inclusion, and responsible innovation. Continue Reading →

The interweb is buzzing with speculation that President Biden will sign an executive order sometime this week to provide guidance to multiple federal agencies regarding possible regulatory changes for cryptocurrencies. The order has been in the works since 2021. Continue Reading →

VisaNet can process more than 65,000 tps (transactions per second). By comparison, Bitcoin (BTC) can only process ~5 tps. Therefore, Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies by proxy) are inherently too slow for practical use. Before you buy into this apples-to-oranges comparison, let's define the word "process." With a little more clarity, you will be better able to frame your thoughts about centralized (VisaNet) versus decentralized (Proof of Work) crypto transactions. Continue Reading →

Key Russian figures and financial institutions have been placed on a U.S. sanctions list, and key Russian banks have been removed from the SWIFT interbank system. As a result, the value of a Russian ruble has plunged, which raises the question: can crypto be used by Russia to avoid sanctions? Continue Reading →

The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control is set to issue new rules to restrict financial transactions to enforce existing sanctions against Russia. The rules, dubbed the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, take aim at “deceptive or structured transactions or dealings to circumvent any United States sanctions, including through the use of digital currencies or assets or the use of physical assets.” Continue Reading →

To protect citizens of Ukraine, Google has temporarily disabled the live traffic features of Google Maps. If you're wondering why this matters, remember that data is more powerful in the presence of other data. Continue Reading →

First, my heart goes out to the people of the Ukraine and to the innocent victims of Russia's brutal attack. The people of Ukraine are fighting for their lives. Hopefully, the international community will figure out a way to get Russia to stand down. Continue Reading →

U.S. senators on Wednesday introduced legislation requiring the State Department to write a report on El Salvador's Bitcoin Law and develop a plan to "mitigate potential risks to the U.S. financial system." Continue Reading →