Bitcoin was born as freedom money. Decentralised, borderless, and immune to state control. But is that ideal being flipped on its head? Are a growing number of institutional players backed by governments inflating Bitcoin’s value not as a currency of the people but as a Strategic Reserve Asset to prop up the very system it was built to escape? Is the goal to create artificial demand for U.S. dollars and treasuries through stablecoins backed by U.S. debt? Stablecoins are lifelines for many, but what is the real cost? Will certain stablecoins become some of the largest holders of U.S. treasuries, indirectly funding U.S. policy while serving as the gateway to Bitcoin? By linking Bitcoin to stablecoins and those stablecoins to U.S. treasuries...has a pipeline been created to inflate Bitcoin, attract capital, prop up dollar demand, and sell more debt? Is it ironic that the asset created to resist fiat is now being used to save it? On the day Trump was inaugurated, I published this article. Centralisation is a threat. Are we paying close enough attention? https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/01/20/is-trumps-strategic-bitcoin-reserve-a-threat-to-freedom/

The UK is falling behind. While global institutions embrace bitcoin, UK regulators remain trapped in a self-replicating bureaucracy and a web of quangos where no one has accountability. Innovation is stalled, growth is flatlining, capital is flowing elsewhere, and game theory is already in motion. Bitcoin is not waiting, and institutions are building the future of finance, just not in the UK. @allen @fnew @Bitcoin Policy UK @Rt Hon Steve Baker FRSA

Bitcoin is helping keep the lights on through mini-grids in Africa. @Erik Hersman from Gridless: “This is the beauty of decentralised energy. Bitcoin can be the financial engine behind it.” Another brilliant film by @Joe Nakamoto uncovering the real impact of Bitcoin on the ground.

A rare, well-researched positive article on Bitcoin by the BBC and it’s a good one. It covers: - Real-world impact in rural Africa - Wasted renewable energy put to use - Economic boost via electricity access - Profitable and sustainable model by Gridless - Ambitious plans to expand clean energy powered by Bitcoin More of this, please BBC.

BBC News

Bitcoin in the bush - crypto mining brings power to rural areas

Bitcoin miners will go to remote locations to take advantage of cheap electricity.

UK regulators are driving bitcoin businesses away while other countries capitalise on the opportunity. The FCA’s blanket cryptoasset policy is crushing innovation, stifling growth, pushing companies offshore, and making the UK increasingly hostile to bitcoin businesses. Companies are scaling back or leaving the UK due to restrictive and unclear regulations. Meanwhile, the US, UAE, and Singapore are actively attracting bitcoin investment. Bitcoin is not a meme coin. It is the future of finance. If this continues, the UK will lose its financial edge and risk global irrelevance as investment moves elsewhere. My latest Forbes piece. @MUSQET @fnew https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/03/18/uk-financial-conduct-authority-drives-out-business-and-hurts-consumers/

One of my favorite film monologues is Hunter S. Thompson's Wave Speech from 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. "San Francisco in the mid-'60s… a sense we were winning… riding a high and beautiful wave." In 1970, Nixon outlawed psychedelics and shut down research, silencing a movement that questioned authority and sought higher consciousness. In 1971, he took the United States off the gold standard, unleashing unchecked government spending. Two moves that severed us from energy, both inner and economic, halting human progress in exchange for control. The wave did not recede naturally, it was forced back. Nixon's war on drugs was about suppressing dissent, not health. The end of the gold standard was more than economic policy; it enabled perpetual war and financial manipulation. Thompson saw the sixties as a lost breakthrough, a moment when humanity stood at the edge of something better, only to be dragged back into the machine. As he brilliantly wrote, that was the moment when the wave finally broke and rolled back.

The BBC’s FOI exemption is deeply troubling, shielding serious scandals from scrutiny. This was the first response I received from the BBC when I tried to hold them accountable for their misinformation and disinformation. I raised concerns about this exception with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and they said the BBC exemption stands; see their response below. The BBC has inflicted notable harm by consistently promoting incorrect and misleading narratives about Bitcoin. This perpetuates negative public perceptions and overshadows its potential as a transformative technology. By framing Bitcoin in a way that often lacks clarity or relies on outdated stereotypes, such as associating it primarily with criminal activity or environmental concerns, the BBC has skewed public understanding and stifled informed discourse. The BBC’s influence as a trusted news outlet amplifies the damage: its narratives have historically shaped opinions that deter adoption, investment, and innovation in a technology that could revolutionise financial inclusion, decentralised systems, and economic sovereignty. This is particularly harmful given Bitcoin’s surged value, reaching a record high of around $109,000, and when global leaders are increasingly recognising its strategic importance, such as the US establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. By obscuring Bitcoin's potential to empower individuals and challenge traditional financial systems, the BBC has delayed societal benefits and reinforced a status quo favouring established institutions over technological progress and freedom. People deserve transparency. The exemption should be scrapped, but then again, so should the BBC.

I made the first Bitcoin transaction at Stringfellows! 💋

The Motley Fool just endorsed XRP, saying: “As an investor, it makes perfect sense to buy and hold both of these assets.” But does it? Even they admit XRP and Bitcoin are very different. One is a censorship-resistant protocol, the other controlled by a company. One is sound money, the other a “zombie coin” (Forbes). XRP has been tied up in SEC lawsuits, its price driven by speculation, and its supply controlled by Ripple. On the other hand, Bitcoin is the only truly sound, permissionless monetary network. The Motley Fool should know better.

The Motley Fool

Is XRP the New Bitcoin? | The Motley Fool

Is XRP the New Bitcoin?

In June 2023, I published "Why I believe the Bank of England’s CBDC consultation amounts to a national scandal", highlighting concerns over transparency and control. Since then, the Bank of England has promised legislation to protect privacy and maintain access to cash. But officials are now expressing doubts about launching Britcoin before 2030, citing privacy concerns, costs, and public apprehension about government control over finances. As the House of Lords' Economic Affairs Committee aptly described, CBDCs are "a solution in search of a problem," potentially costing taxpayers significantly without clear benefits. To date, there have been no successful CBDC launches when measured by adoption. Every attempt so far has failed to gain meaningful traction. So why are we doing this? Also, the choice of the name Britcoin is certainly interesting. Whether intentional or not, it risks confusing a state-controlled currency with Bitcoin, which operates outside government control. Is this a win for privacy—or just a delay before rollout?

City AM

Why I believe the Bank of England

With some simple research, Susie Violet Ward lays bare the shocking inaccessibility of the Bank of England

Orwell’s 1984 warned us about this. Surveillance is everywhere, privacy is being destroyed, and CBDCs are the final boss. The £2 coin quoting ‘Big Brother is Watching You’—is this a tribute, or are they laughing at us?

The Standard

George Orwell celebrated on new £2 coin to mark 75 years since 1984 author's death

The Royal Mint said the commemorative coin is being released to mark the 75th anniversary of the author’s death

🚨 IT'S OFFICIAL: The BBC cannot be held accountable for misinformation. No right to appeal, no transparency, and the regulator is just another dead end. For those following the case, here’s an analysis of the BBC’s Stage 2 response, highlighting systemic flaws in how they address inaccuracies: 1/ Conflict of Interest Not Addressed Flaw: BBC failed to disclose Alex de Vries' affiliation with the Dutch Central Bank, which has a vested interest in undermining Bitcoin. Impact: Readers lack full context to assess de Vries' credibility. 2/Reliance on a Discredited Source Flaw: Heavily relied on Alex de Vries' commentary, which has been debunked in peer-reviewed critiques. Impact: Treated de Vries' work as credible research, perpetuating misinformation. 3/ Failure to Independently Fact-Check Flaw: Cited similar reporting from other outlets, neglecting their responsibility as a public broadcaster to verify claims independently. Impact: Undermines the BBC’s editorial standards and trustworthiness. 4/ Freedom of Information Request - Refusal Flaw: Refused to disclose the fact-checking process under the FOI Act. Impact: Lacks transparency, raising concerns about their editorial process. 5/ Inadequate Responses to Evidence Flaw: Avoided addressing detailed rebuttals from the Digital Asset Research Institute (@dari_org). Key Issues Ignored: -Misrepresentation of Bitcoin’s energy metrics. -Failure to consider efficiencies from the Lightning Network. -Overreliance on outdated methodologies. -Exclusion of peer-reviewed studies on Bitcoin’s benefits. Impact: Demonstrates a lack of impartiality. 6/ Breach of Editorial Standards The BBC violated their own guidelines in three areas: Accuracy: Relied on discredited sources without fact-checking. Impartiality: Omitted conflicts of interest and rebuttals, creating bias. Transparency: Refused to disclose their fact-checking process. 7/ Avoidance of Accountability Flaw: Avoided engaging with evidence and arguments presented in Stage 1 & 2 complaints. Impact: Resistance to accountability makes it difficult to challenge inaccuracies. Summary of the Process Challenges The BBC’s reliance on flawed justifications, refusal to address rebuttals, and lack of transparency demonstrate systemic shortcomings: 1. Failed to retract or correct misleading content. 2. Ignored conflicts of interest. 3. Failed to adhere to accuracy, impartiality, and transparency standards. Full Stage 2 response attached. This process began on 5 December 2023, and over a year later, we are here with no resolution. This is a clear institutional failure undermining public trust in a taxpayer-funded organisation. The BBC must be held accountable for inaccuracies in their reporting. The BBC must be defunded. Full X thread and history here:

X (formerly Twitter)

Decentra Suze (@DecentraSuze) on X

🚨 IT'S OFFICIAL: The BBC cannot be held accountable for misinformation. No right to appeal, no transparency, and the regulator is just anothe...

The FATF Travel Rule, now applied to bitcoin, requires extensive KYC data sharing, causing serious concerns about privacy, financial freedom, and personal safety. My latest Forbes article featuring @L0la L33tz. https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/01/07/new-eu-rules-threaten-your-security--what-you-need-to-know/

Honoured to step into the role of CEO at Bitcoin Policy UK. With a refined mission, a vision for 2025, and a focus on advocating for good policies that will benefit both the UK and its citizens, I’m committed to driving positive change. Thank you for your support—we’re building a stronger future together. View quoted note →

Another soul-crushing response from the BBC. After a year, they continue to ignore all the key points raised: - Failed to disclose Alex DeVries' conflict of interest as a Dutch central banker. - Ignored that his research was debunked at the time of publication. - Provided no evidence of their own fact-checking. Instead, they cited other outlets who published the same misinformation. Stage 1 has officially concluded. This is the end of the road with BBC Complaints. I now have 20 days to escalate the complaint to the Executive Complaints Unit—on to Stage 2.

The new Crypto Asset Reporting Framework may signal ChokePoint 3.0, raising concerns over privacy, data security, reporting accuracy, and the potential for wrongful assessments due to incomplete or misinterpreted information. My latest in Forbes. #Bitcoin https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/11/24/bitcoin-privacy-at-risk-could-carf-regulations-signal-chokepoint-30/

Farmers and bitcoiners are fighting for sovereignty. The recent farmers' protest in London highlights how interconnected systems like farming, energy, and sound money can address these global challenges. My latest piece in Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/11/20/bitcoin-offers-a-solution-to-the-global-farming-and-economic-crisis/

Bitkey’s inheritance feature enables secure and user-friendly bitcoin transfers to beneficiaries, offering self-custody, ease of use, recovery, and simplicity. Launching January 2025. My latest piece in Forbes. #Bitcoin @jack https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/11/18/bitkeys-inheritance-feature-simplifies-self-custody-for-bitcoin-users/