[2024] January Updates
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While our developers are getting closer to finishing the first stage of the new private blockchain switch, here are January’s highlights.
We are looking for talent. This is an open call for web designers to join us for a special project. We’re looking for someone who aligns with our values and has a keen eye for aesthetics and functionality. To apply, shoot us your portfolio via Discord and you’ll hear from a member of our team. Extra points if you’re accepting crypto.
The Private Finance Syndicate has published the first Q&A with member BasicSwapDEX. Read to get an insight into how the project works, and more importantly, what their take on the current privacy sphere is.
Q: What is your take on the upcoming (over-)regulation, especially when it comes to privacy coins?
A: They would be terrible if there weren’t any DEX that are compatible with privacy coins in the works. But since there are, we think these will ultimately prove to be quite beneficial (in the long run) to privacy coins as it will drive their usage away from centralized parties, as it should. That being said, we do foresee challenging times ahead while this transition towards decentralized services takes place. But with everything currently happening in the world, notably the advent of spy coins (CBDCs), social scores, increase in censorship, and etc, privacy coins will evolve from what is vastly considered by the public to be a “fancy feature” to a necessity to most people.
To absolutely no one’s surprise, Binance is extending the monitoring tag on coins like FIRO, XMR and ZEC. What this tag is supposed to signal to the user, is that these assets may no longer meet the exchange’s listing criteria. Given the exchange’s history with delisting privacy coins, we urge you to be prudent and take your funds into your own custody. In the same vein, Coinex is upping the requirements for deposits and withdrawals for certain privacy coins by introducing complete ID verification. Luckily, there are ever more DEXs launching, offering a far superior alternative to any of these declining CEXs.
Tornado Cash’ Roman Storm is calling on the crypto community for support. After being arrested by Dutch and US authorities on questionable money laundering charges — an outrageous case of government overreach, the team needs help for their legal defense fund. This outcome of this case is pivotal in defining the line between freedom transaction, autonomy and government intimidation. Writing software should never become criminalized.
And lastly, long time community eye-sore, Worldcoin, is trying to onboard more people with a less threatening-looking device. This is a great example for how surveillance gets normalized: more accessible devices onboard more users while critical voices are drowned out. Stay vigilant.
Until the next one. Cheers!
