Motion: Blockchain analysis companies are bad for bitcoin (Alex Gladstein vs. Dave Jevans)

Guests:

Alex Gladstein (@gladstein)
Dave Jevans (@davejevans)

Host:

Richard Yan (@gentso09)

Today’s motion is “Blockchain analysis companies are bad for bitcoin.”

Blockchain analysis companies are effectively on-chain detectives. They help exchanges and other financial institutions detect and monitor money-laundering activities and therefore stay in compliance. They also help law enforcement do financial investigations.

But their tools may also be useful for repressive regimes in spying on financial behavior of their citizens, in hopes of crushing political dissidents.

Today’s debater includes someone from the Human Rights Foundation, who is very passionate about bitcoin’s financial liberating cause, and someone that started one of the largest blockchain analysis companies, who believes their tools help bitcoin and what it stands for.

If you’re into crypto and like to hear two sides of the story, be sure to also check out our previous episodes. We’ve featured some of the best known thinkers in the crypto space.

If you would like to debate or want to nominate someone, please DM me at @blockdebate on Twitter.

Please note that nothing in our podcast should be construed as financial advice.

Source of select items discussed in the debate:

• Human Rights Foundation: https://www.hrf.org
• CipherTrace: https://ciphertrace.com/
• Quick primer of blockchain analysis companies: https://news.bitcoin.com/a-forensic-analysis-of-blockchain-surveillance-companies/
• International anti-money-laundering organization FATF: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Action_Task_Force
• https://www.realclearworld.com/2020/07/29/china_is_what_orwell_feared_500463.html