From Gold to Greenbacks: A Look at the US Dollar’s Devaluation, Manipulation and Militant Backing

228 years ago the U.S. dollar was created and ever since then, the national currency has been both powerful and controversial at the same time. Moreover since 1971, after being backed by precious metals for decades, American dollars have been backed by nothing and estimates say a quarter of the U.S. monetary supply was created … Read more

Human Rights Foundation’s Alex Gladstein Calls Bitcoin ‘An Escape Hatch From Tyranny’

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF)’s Alex Gladstein has heaped praise on bitcoin saying it’s an escape hatch from tyranny and that there is more to it than its price. In comments made via a short video, Gladstein, who is the chief strategy officer (CSO) at HRF, asserts that “people who buy bitcoin are strengthening a … Read more

Turkey Finance Minister Embraces ICO Hype for Already Troubled Economy

If regional Turkish media is to be believed, no less than the country’s Minister of Finance (Finmin), Berat Albayrak, has proposed looking into the wildcat world of initial coin offerings (ICOs) as a way to boost the economy. English-speaking press reports so far haven’t mentioned Turkey’s supposed turn toward state-backed crypto products, but they have … Read more

Bitcoin as Lifeline Amid Crushing Devaluation, Extreme Poverty, Sectarian Violence in Nigeria

The scrappy citizens of Lagos, Nigeria are traders and can-do survivors almost by nature. Their government, however, has mismanaged the nation’s money to such a degree that it’s prone to wild devaluation swings. And while an argument could be made bitcoin too is volatile, it actually isn’t comparatively. With access to peer-to-peer exchanges such as … Read more

Rubles Can Buy You Petro Maduro Says While Denominating Venezuela’s Currency

El Petro, the Venezuelan cryptocurrency, can now be purchased with Russian rubles, among other fiat currencies, President Nicolás Maduro announced. Companies from many countries, including the United States, want to buy the oil-backed crypto, he added. Venezuela’s head of state also said he decided to denominate the national currency, the bolivar.  Also read: Venezuela Recruiting … Read more