Bethesda, Maryland – September 10, 2025 -Sazmining, a pioneer of Bitcoin Mining Asaire (BMAA), providing software as a service to Bitcoin Mining for the masses, today announced two important milestones that redefine the future of mining. seaa decentralized Bitcoin mining pool supported by Jack Dorsey and Luke Dashle, and the industry’s first first time Annual rig performance guarantee.

Together, these advancements solidify Sass Me as the most transparent, customer-located, sustainable partner in Bitcoin mining.

Expanding decentralization in the ocean

Through integration with the ocean, Sasmining customers gain unprecedented transparency and control over mining operations. Unlike traditional pools, the ocean gives miners a complete visibility into trading to secure hashrates and blocks rewards Directly on the miner’s wallet – No management risks.

Sazmining has built its own block template with datums and propagation blocks found using knots to further decentralize the process and enhance Bitcoin’s resilience.

“The central spirit of Bitcoin has always been about people controlling their own values,” he said. Kent Halliburton, CEO and co-founder of Sazmining. “By integrating with the ocean, we ensure that our client’s mines flow straight into our wallets in the most decentralized and transparent way possible.”

Sazmining is the first to integrate with the ocean under the revenue share model, utilizing custom code specifically written in this use case.

Mark Ultimco, president and co-founder of OceanAdded: “Sazmining is leading the fees to make mining accessible and we are proud to be able to support our clients with a pool that provides efficiency without sacrificing decentralization.”

Raise your bar with pioneering rig performance guarantee

First in another industry, Sazmining started it Annual rig performance guaranteeensuring that all customer mining rigs perform nameplate hashrates or higher for a year. If performance is lacking due to infrastructure-related issues, customers will be compensated with pro-rated credits or additional mining times.

“Other providers in the industry are willing to stand behind their customers like this,” Halliburton said. “Bitcoin mining should be about the accumulation of SATs, rather than worrying about whether your rig is performing poorly. We are proud to be the first to guarantee performance on this scale.”

This initiative strengthens Sazmining’s brand commitment.

• World-class customer experience – Seamless and predictable mining for long-term success
• Transparency – Verifiable metrics with no hidden inefficiencies
• Carbon-free energy – 100% renewable power on all sites
• Alignment incentive – Sass Me Inches wins only when the customer does so

Crowdfund momentum

Sazmining has launched an equity crowdfunding campaign with a goal of $618,000. The campaign has already raised over $200,000 from early investors, confirming the trust and demand of a strong market.

Rather than relying on centralized exchanges, the Raise supports the company’s mission to restore Bitcoin mining as the main way of obtaining it, so that it can generate its own Bitcoin directly from the network. By decentralizing access to mining, Sazmining aims to reunify the Bitcoin community, strengthen network resilience, and accelerate the transition to a more sovereign future. To participate, please visit bit.ly/sazraise.

About sazmining

Sazmining is pioneering a new era of Bitcoin Mining as a Service (BMAA). There, customers own the miners entirely, the rig runs with 100% carbon-free energy, and the incentives are perfectly consistent with the Bitcoiner. By combining decentralization, transparency and sustainability, Sasmee can directly mine “wild SATs” from the Bitcoin network, independent of exchanges, intermediaries, or custodians.

For media enquiriesplease contact Kent (at)Sazmining (dot)com.

Disclaimer:This is a sponsored press release. Readers are encouraged to carry out their own due diligence before acting on the information presented in this article.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Aug. 7 to halt what his administration called discriminatory banking practices against the crypto industry.

The order bars federal regulators from using “reputational risk” as justification to influence banks’ decisions about working with legal businesses.

According to the administration, the digital asset sector has been disproportionately affected by behind-the-scenes pressure from regulatory agencies, leading to abrupt account closures, payroll disruptions, and loss of financial access for law-abiding firms.

The move directly targets what critics have dubbed “Operation Choke Point 2.0,” a term used by the crypto industry to describe a coordinated campaign of informal regulatory pressure.

While not an official program, the term refers to a pattern of supervisory actions that allegedly discourage banks from servicing digital asset companies, even when those firms comply with existing laws.

The modern-day chokepoint mirrors tactics once used in a 2010s-era Department of Justice initiative, which sought to cut off banking access for industries labeled high-risk for fraud, including firearms and payday lending.

However, unlike its predecessor, the newer iteration has focused largely on crypto. Since early 2023, multiple firms have reported unexplained debanking, often following vague concerns about risk rather than concrete compliance violations.

Industry advocates and pro-crypto lawmakers have stated that the unfriendly environment created uncertainty for startups and institutional players alike, limiting growth and undermining regulatory credibility in the US.

Trump’s order codifies recent moves by the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, all of which have pledged to stop evaluating banks based on reputational factors.

It also aligns with legislation under discussion in Congress, where lawmakers have pushed for stricter limits on how regulators supervise politically sensitive or emerging industries.

The order is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to establish clearer protections for crypto companies operating within the US financial system.

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Discords and X threads aren’t fooling investors anymore. Web 3.0 founders must look towards AI to survive. Web 3.0 founders have to pivot.

The AI (artificial intelligence) industry has demonstrated itself to be far more apt at innovating than Web 3.0, which as an industry must accept defeat in a way and reorganize.

It would behoove AI founders to take a page out of the book of big AI companies, which have impacted lives and scooped up a big market share in short order – leaving crypto very much in the dust when it comes to the mindshare of crypto in the global consciousness versus AI.

Web 3.0 founders must ask themselves, ‘What can we learn?’

As AI becomes more powerful, and it will do so quickly, Web 3.0 will quickly become a subservient industry, dependent upon the whims of the almighty big technology corporations in control of AI technology.

Web 3.0 will likely only become lucrative and impactful by partnering with AI companies.

Web 3.0’s decentralization, which has resulted in thousands of projects promising all sorts of decentralized versions of apps that already exist, has led to the general public – including investors – not understanding which projects are for real.

Investors simply don’t know which projects can achieve results or are even offering a solution to a real problem.

DAOs, DeFi protocols and metaverse land rushes are largely a cacophony of Discord servers, Telegram groups and X threads.

For many Western investors, these business models are completely foreign. The business models of AI companies, including startups, are far more familiar.

In addition, Web 3.0 has gained a bit of a reputation for being associated with hype and scams.

The AI industry, on the other hand, has forged a clearer path towards deals that make a difference.

AI companies aren’t shilling tokens based on future promises, writing convoluted whitepapers and posting endlessly online.

They’re building groundbreaking technology from the ground up. In the AI industry, the cream has risen quickly to the top.

The world knows that it is companies like xAI, OpenAI, Google and others that dominate the marketplace.

Investors know that real innovation doesn’t come from a 10,000 NFT (non-fungible token) collection. BlackRock will tokenize bonds, not NFTs.

Partners want to make deals with the AI behemoths building out the world-changing infrastructure, such as cloud providers, chipmakers or platforms like xAI’s Grok, which has revolutionized the way in which humanity seeks out information.

Unfortunately for those of us in the Web 3.0 space – for now at least – these companies are building the future, not Web 3.0 startups.

Centralization is winning the day over decentralization. The fragmentation in Web 3.0 – the fierce competition over so little – is not nearly as appetizing to investors and strategic partners as AI monopolies.

Web 3.0 companies should start looking to partner with those companies sitting on a vast GPU supply or a proprietary data organization.

These are the companies – the ones that control algorithms – getting inventor funds.

A new way forward for crypto

Web 3.0 founders are left with no other option than to pivot. The industry has to face it and move towards a new strategy.

Big money has found it difficult to navigate the decentralized web of Web 3.0 companies.

Instead, centralized powerhouses are the ones building the future, and they could step into the crypto arena at any time and potentially outcompete crypto native incumbents.

It’s time for crypto to move on from its messaging chat and X strategy, as well as the promises of decentralization, and start working the phones to get into the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies touching technology.

It’s high time to deliver.

The idealism of Web 3.0 is proving not to mesh with reality. The quest for decentralization, ownership and democratized value creation has stalled.

In the future, Web 3.0 might further fragment.

The biggest blockchains, such as Ethereum and Solana, will begin to pin their fates on centralized solutions, increasingly looking like the tech gatekeepers they once billed themselves as disrupting.

The blockchains of tomorrow will exist as integrations into the traditional financial and technology giants, which are looking for supply chain tracking and similar solutions.

For the blockchain world, these solutions are the quickest way to real-world utility and a monopoly.

The more lofty solutions, such as decentralized data storage, are not making much progress when it comes to market share.

Memecoins, redundant DeFi protocols and incomplete metaverses are already suffering under the strain of zero sum competition between one another.

There is no crypto community. The incestuous strategic partnerships of crypto projects with each other have resulted in limited innovation.

It’s time for Web 3.0 founders to make a change. Billion-dollar partnerships are made via access to C-Suites of the world’s biggest companies – not in the world of hashtags or virtual land.

The Web 3.0 companies that don’t adapt to the fact that Web 3.0 has fallen far behind the AI industry in terms of innovation won’t be around for long.

Manouk Termaaten is the founder and CEO of Vertical Studio AI. He is a serial entrepreneur and expert in AI technologies, aiming to make AI accessible for everyone via customization tools and affordable computers.

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The CEO of a $7.8 billion asset manager says his firm is investing in three companies poised to drive transformative advancements in healthcare, financial data and AI.

Aureus Asset Management chief executive Thad Davis tells Barron’s that his firm has piled into Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO), believing that the firm is in a position to become the “Amazon-type” supplier for healthcare firms.

“It provides all the materials, equipment and supplies a lab environment would need. If you ever watch the dollies that come in and out of a hospital or biotech building, they are loaded with Thermo Fisher equipment.”

The next pick is Applied Materials (AMAT), which plays a critical role in the development of powerful chips amid the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI).

While Nvidia currently leads in chip manufacturing, Davis says Applied Materials is essential across four critical stages of chip production, ensuring its equipment remains indispensable for leading-edge chip development, driving significant long-term demand regardless of which company ultimately dominates the market.

Lastly, Davis says the firm is a believer in S&P Global (SPGI), noting that it holds a dominant position in the credit ratings market alongside Moody’s, forming a near duopoly.

Overall, Davis also says that Aureus is keeping a close watch on three investment areas that have the potential to become “massive disruptors,” including AI, blockchain along with crypto and GLP-1 drugs – medicines designed to treat diabetes and obesity.

“Each taken separately has the capacity to profoundly disrupt various industries. But some taken together could have the same impact. GLP-1s and AI might be amazingly helpful in revolutionizing therapeutic developments, for example.”

Aureus is a Boston-based wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals, families and institutions.

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The following article is a guest post and opinion of Mike Romanenko, CVO & Co-founder of Kyrrex.

The environment of crypto payments is shifting from speculative hysteria to underlying development. As the industry matures, a strong foundation in the form of business-to-business (B2B) payment infrastructure, user experience (UX), and regulation is materializing as crucial for scalability and mass adoption, according to Mike Romanenko, CVO and Founder of Kyrrex.

Trust and compliance infrastructure as a foundation for sustainable growth

The need for trust-inducing infrastructure has come about as crypto payments move from early adopters to the mainstream. Consumers and merchants require assurance that transactions are secure, auditable, and compliant with financial standards. To satisfy the demands of institutional partners and users, many businesses are voluntarily implementing industry best practices in compliance, custody, and identity verification. This does not imply that regulation is the only motivator.

The EU’s MiCA regulation, together with initiatives from the UAE, UK, and Hong Kong, represents a consensus that adoption relies on clarity instead of control. The industry now directs its attention

toward tools that enable transparent operations and operational risk reduction instead of legal technicalities. The industry has reached a stage where it mainstreams the integration of Know Your Customer (KYC), along with anti-money laundering (AML) and reporting standards, into crypto payment platforms during their initial development.

Data show just how much the environment has shifted. Illegal crypto activity reached about $40.9 billion in 2024, according to Chainalysis. This really speaks volumes about the role that compliance technology plays in the fight against financial crime and building trust in the crypto arena. As the industry keeps developing, focusing on trust and solid compliance systems will be key for companies to grow sustainably. Those who prioritize this are more likely to succeed, while others might struggle to gain a foothold.

UX and functionality: enhancing user and merchant experience

The way crypto payments are developing mainly depends on making things easier and more practical for users. One exciting example is the partnership between Stripe and Coinbase, which aims to make crypto transactions smoother. Stripe has integrated support for USD Coin (USDC) on the Base network across its crypto product suite, facilitating faster and more cost-effective money transfers to over 150 countries. Meanwhile, Coinbase has added Stripe’s fiat-to-crypto on-ramp into its wallet, so users can buy cryptocurrencies instantly using credit cards or Apple Pay.

At the same time, traditional payment giants like Visa and Mastercard are also stepping into the crypto world. Visa has teamed up with a startup called Bridge to launch stablecoin-linked Visa cards, letting customers in Latin America spend crypto in their everyday shopping. These cards convert stablecoin balances into local currencies during transactions, making it easy to use at any store that accepts Visa. Mastercard is also expanding its stablecoin features through partnerships with companies like Circle and Paxos, allowing merchants to accept payments in stablecoins. This move comes as stablecoin transactions have skyrocketed, reaching $35 trillion between February 2024 and February 2025.

All these moves show a clear trend: integrating crypto features with traditional finance to give users and businesses more flexible and efficient ways to pay. By improving user experience and making the most of existing systems, these collaborations are key steps toward bringing crypto payments into everyday life.

B2B payment rails: scaling enterprise-level transactions

Institutional blockchain networks are transforming the boundaries of enterprise transactions. One major innovation is the Regulated Settlement Network (RSN) Proof-of-Concept, conducted by U.S. financial industry participants. The initiative considered the potential of shared ledger technology being applied to multi-asset and cross-network settlement of trades, like tokenized U.S. Treasury securities and cash. The RSN demonstrated the possibility of a 24/7 programmable settlement infrastructure that may enhance liquidity management and reduce operational risk for financial institutions.

Cross-border payment technology is also transforming, as the 2024 Financial Stability Board (FSB) report indicates advancements in standardizing payment systems. These include embracing the use of the ISO 20022 messaging standard and efforts to connect fast payment systems globally. This is intended to make cross-border payments faster, less expensive, more transparent, and more inclusive, which are, according to the G20’s roadmap objectives. By making standardization and interoperability feasible, these initiatives have been positioned to assist in increasing the efficiency and availability of cross-border transactions for international business.

Why enterprises should look toward crypto and what to consider when choosing a partner

As payment rails in companies mature to adulthood, crypto is not only becoming feasible but strategically necessary for global businesses. Blockchain-based solutions are increasingly addressing the operational requirements of large corporations. Pioneering businesses are beginning to explore crypto as a way to optimize financial flexibility, balance treasury operations, and make payment infrastructure future-proof.

But integrating crypto into business processes requires judicious partner selection. Beyond technology, companies must weigh a provider’s compliance approach, integration with traditional finance infrastructure, and scalability across geographies. Licensing standing, interoperability, security practices, and institutional client expertise are essential considerations. Now that the infrastructure is falling into place, picking the right partner matters not just for delivery, but for surfing the new wave of cross-border crypto adoption.

Infrastructure is the real catalyst for crypto’s next wave

The future of crypto payments will not be determined by hype but by how long the infrastructure built today lasts. The trust and compliance architecture is paving the way for long-term expansion, with industry participants welcoming open standards that build institutional and consumer trust.

Meanwhile, progress in user experience — in Stripe and Coinbase or Visa and Mastercard stablecoin integrations — is also accelerating and standardizing crypto payments. Behind the scenes, enterprise-class developments in cross-border systems and settlement networks are enabling the scale required for global adoption. While infrastructure goes about transforming quietly, crypto is solidifying itself as not an alternative, but as a natural layer in the future of finance.

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Ahead of an important week for digital assets legislation, Stand With Crypto (SWC) and over 60 other industry firms sent a letter urging House lawmakers to champion clear regulations for the industry and unlock its potential.

Industry Coalition Pushes For CLARITY Act Approval

On Monday, advocacy group Stand With Crypto, alongside 65 other firms and groups, sent a letter to the US House of Representatives urging lawmakers to support the bipartisan Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act of 2025 as the US approaches a “pivotal crossroad.”

Excerpt from the letter to members of the House of Representatives. Source: SWC

The industry coalition argued that digital assets continue to reshape the global economy, despite some efforts to “politicize crypto legislation,” adding that the US risks falling behind unless pro-crypto policies that fully embrace blockchain technology are quickly adopted.

There are already signs of U.S. crypto leadership slipping. We cannot afford to let inaction and uncertainty jeopardize our ability to secure Americaʼs economic future. Above all else the U.S. crypto industry needs market structure — which ensures there are clear rules of the road and provides the regulatory clarity that developers, users, and advocates need to continue innovating.

The letter explains that digital assets are “providing a foundation for a more inclusive, transparent, and secure digital economy,” and “opening doors for economic opportunity, innovation, and financial empowerment on a scale weʼve never seen before.”

As such, crypto developers require clear guidance and safeguards to continue building blockchain systems, with standards for transparency, security, and accountability, and where users can control their digital assets.

The lack of standardized rules has hindered institutional adoption, innovation, and pushed talent and businesses to more industry-friendly jurisdictions outside the US. Nonetheless, passing the long-awaited market structure bill would address these issues, the crypto coalition argues.

House Lawmakers Prepare For ‘Crypto Week’

Notably, SWC’s letter comes ahead of the highly anticipated “Crypto Week,” which will see the review of three key legislations during the week of July 14 to 18, including the GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act.

As reported by Bitcoinist, House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill, House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson, and Speaker Mike Johnson announced the upcoming discussion on rules on stablecoins, market structure, and central bank digital currency as part of Congress’s efforts to make America the crypto capital of the world.

Chairman Thompson affirmed that “it will soon be time for the House to deliver for the American people and send CLARITY to the Senate. I thank House Leadership for recognizing the urgent need for CLARITY to cement American leadership in the digital asset space.”

The bipartisan bill was introduced on May 29 by Chairman Hill, aiming to establish a regulatory framework for crypto assets and provide the long-awaited clarity and protection for the industry.

If passed, the legislation will assign clear roles and responsibilities to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which would “not only enable and empower developers to innovate, but also protect consumers through choice, foster greater participation in the blockchain economy, and strengthen national security.”

Nearly a month ago, the bill passed its two committee markups, but it still needs to pass the full House vote and the Senate before heading to President Donald Trump’s desk.

 However, its path to approval has been uncertain, as House Democrats have heavily criticized the bill, and some lawmakers have pushed to merge it with the GENIUS Act, making next week’s debate a pivotal moment for the legislation.

Bitcoin (BTC) trades at $108,442 in the one-week chart. Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView

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Welcome to Slate Sundays, CryptoSlate’s new weekly feature showcasing in-depth interviews, expert analysis, and thought-provoking op-eds that go beyond the headlines to explore the ideas and voices shaping the future of crypto.

It’s not often that you meet someone with as much integrity as Jameson Lopp. Being in his presence for any length of time, whether online or in meatspace (where you would know him under a pseudonym), it starts to rub off on you and make you want to be a better Bitcoiner; a better human, for that matter.

Few people have done more to advance the area of Bitcoin and crypto security than Jameson. Despite peddling a message no one wants to hear (until they’ve lost access to their private keys), he remains undeterred, making it his life’s work to educate people of the potential dangers surrounding their crypto security setups and the Bitcoin network in general.

His particular brand of product isn’t sexy. It doesn’t lure with the promise of Lambos or NGU. Bitcoin security is such an uncompelling topic, in fact, that Jameson’s found himself bumped from the main stage at large events. The rise in wrench attacks is such a “Debbie Downer” that he’s been relegated to the developer’s stage.

“The large non-technical conferences generally don’t even want the technical people on stage talking about the problems inherent to the system,” he says. “Having rational, practical discussions about the problems in the space conflicts with a lot of the narratives that people want to push out there to pump it up and increase adoption.”

As co-founder and Chief Security Officer of Bitcoin security provider Casa, creator of Bitcoin real-time node monitoring platform statoshi, a slew of additional side projects aimed at raising awareness, and over half a million followers on X, Jameson confesses he’s “inundated,” and somewhat “overwhelmed” trying to stay on top of it all.

I caught up with the living legend and industry OG to discuss his extraordinary life, invaluable work, the rise in physical Bitcoin attacks, and everything in between.

Jameson Lopp and mastering the art of disappearance

Tell me what you know about Jameson Lopp, and I’ll tell you how many years you’ve been in Bitcoin. On second thought, keep that information to yourself. As Jameson’s posted and reposted on X:

“The first rule of the 21 million club is that you do not talk about joining the 21 million club.”

Subject to a grueling SWATting attack in 2017, he’s lived firsthand through the trauma inflicted on Bitcoiners when his house was raided after the police received fraudulent calls from an attacker claiming to be him.

The caller told the police that he had shot someone 15 times with an assault rifle, was holding others hostage, and had rigged the front door with explosives, before demanding a ransom of $50,000 in Bitcoin and threatening to shoot any approaching police officers.

It was the stuff of movies and the type of ordeal that would have triggered most people to raise a white flag and retire from the industry altogether.

But Jameson Lopp isn’t most people.

Not only did he hold his head high and continue to remain defiant, but he set about making himself impossible to find—while educating others to erase their own data trails. From using ad-blockers and VPNs online to establishing a second home as a decoy address, Jameson’s footprints are in invisible ink.

Not even his family knows where he lives.

“The easier and safer thing for me to have done would be to completely disappear,” he acknowledges, “but I felt like that would be giving in to the pressure from bad actors. I wanted to continue to leverage the reputation that I had built and be able to reach people and talk about Bitcoin.”

I recall inventing a pseudonym one night at a party and making up a whole new life. It was amusing at first until I couldn’t sustain a plausible Spanish accent, and kept contradicting myself until the jig was up. I can’t even imagine the mental and physical logistics involved in living this way long-term. It’s pretty extreme:

“The hardest part is that it’s a lifestyle change. When I started off, I was creating a bunch of different pseudonyms that I was using with different people in meatspace, and it quickly became too difficult to keep track of, so I settled on just one pseudonym and one identity.

Then, of course, I have my real identity that I only use to interact with people remotely, as myself, my original government identity… It gets more complicated if you’re pulling more people into your situation, like family, and children.”

I bet. But Jameson has a signature look. Instantly recognizable, his unmistakable beard is streaked with silver like the mystical bristles of a seasoned wizard. Has his cover ever been blown?

“It’s extremely rare,” he replies, “but that’s one of my tricky things and a sort of balancing act that I’m trying to navigate. I don’t go on mainstream media shows for that reason. I don’t want my face to be broadcast to millions and millions of people. I do smaller podcasts and stuff, which are only going to be seen by the people who are already deep into this space.”

200 known wrench attacks on Bitcoiners so far

When I saw one of Jameson’s latest posts on X, warning about the rising number of wrench attacks and pointing to a well-maintained log of known physical Bitcoin attacks, I knew I had to reach out. But given his ability to vanish in plain sight, I didn’t expect him to answer. I was pleasantly surprised. He may be impossible to physically find, but he’s available at the click of a mouse to anyone who wants to talk Bitcoin.

According to Jameson’s records, there are over 200 documented physical attacks on Bitcoiners, more than 30 of those in the first half of 2025. Why is the number going up so alarmingly?

“It’s going up because the total value and size of the ecosystem are going up, and the overall awareness of the ecosystem is growing. So, you know, this is just a natural phenomenon… There’s always going to be some tiny percentage of sociopaths who are willing to hurt other people for their own personal gain.”

What’s more interesting, he points out, is the general trend of incidents carried out by organized crime groups specializing in this type of attack.

“There was a slew of them up and down the east coast of America a few years ago, and then recently there’s been a slew of them in France, and in both cases, law enforcement eventually arrested the people behind it.”

I mention hearing him say previously that, oftentimes, wrench attacks are orchestrated by people who don’t reside in that country but specifically travel there to carry out the attack. He nods:

“My reach and understanding of all of this is limited by what’s being reported, but I’m seeing a pattern in Southeast Asia of expats who are being targeted by what seems to be organized crime from their country of origin.

I’ve seen a number of attacks, for example, where Russian citizens who are either vacationing or living in Southeast Asia are getting hit by Russian organized crime. They’re coming into the country, wrench attacking them, and then trying to get out as quickly as possible, and presumably trying to leverage jurisdictional arbitrage.”

I ask whether wrench attacks mostly happen to high-profile people, and he shrugs.

“It’s hard to say because I never know who these people are. I know “high-profile” people who are on X. But if they’re high-profile on Instagram, I have no idea, and I don’t use TikTok. So, high profile is very relative and fragmented.”

He says he does know of several victims who were Instagram influencers who were “basically flaunting their wealth,” and bragging about their expensive cars, wristwatches, and luxury lifestyles. He shakes his head:

“If you are on any sort of public network and you are flaunting your wealth, that’s one of the more risky things that you could be doing.”

Best advice to protect yourself? Never KYC

With most jurisdictions hellbent on combating money laundering and counter-terrorism finance, it’s almost impossible to be active in this space without handing over mounds of private data. Unfortunately for many of us, however, this often ends up being doxxed online, like in the Ledger breach of 2020, or Coinbase just a few weeks ago.

What can we do to protect ourselves in the era of KYC without going to the extreme measures of buying a proxy house or being untraceable by even the most highly skilled of private investigators?

“The safest thing to do is to never KYC and only use non-KYC services. Those are always going to be less convenient. They’re not as user-friendly, and there are not as many of them out there. If you’re using KYC services, I would say preferably you’re not giving them your home address.”

He acknowledges this can be tricky since most providers require your place of domicile, but you can reduce the risk by considering which document you upload.

“Personally, when I’m doing KYC, I prefer to use my passport as my document because there’s no address on there. Then I will always initially try giving them a private mailbox address that I have. Sometimes that works. But if they have stricter and higher levels of KYC, then I often find that getting rejected.”

When this happens, Jameson reluctantly hands over the address of his now legal residency, which he rents but doesn’t spend time in.

“Of course, that is going to be out of reach for most people to just have another address that they’re not actually using,” he concedes.

And what about providing a utility bill? There’s no workaround for that:

“That’s really tough for me because I have no utility bills in my name by design.”

A proud Libertarian and fully fledged Bitcoiner

As a self-proclaimed Libertarian, I ask Jameson whether he’s ever voted, or if that’s even possible now. He smooths down his beard and ponders my words, saying he stopped voting when he realized “no Libertarian was ever going to become president” or win any high-level office.

“The bi-party system is too entrenched for that. But no, I definitely have no intention of ever registering to vote again because of the public records that that creates. You know, the ROI of voting, like the actual impact of my votes versus the amount of time I would have to spend evaluating all the politicians, their platforms, and whether or not I even trust them, it’s just easier for me to ignore politics as much as possible.”

And with so much hoop-jumping and painstaking planning behind every move he makes, whether online or in the physical realm, is all this really worth it? Did he ever consider quitting completely? He pauses for a while and reflects:

“There’s this cybersecurity saying. Something like the safest way to use a computer is to never turn it on, never touch it, never use it… The computer, and especially with the advent of the internet, is a massively powerful tool, but it’s a two-way device, right? On one hand, you have access to essentially the entire sum of human knowledge. On the other hand, you’re exposing yourself to billions of potential attackers. You’re essentially opening up a door to the rest of the world for them to start knocking on.”

I say that reminds me of a similar refrain: A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. He smiles and agrees. Let’s face it, there’s no world in which Jameson leaves the computer untouched.

“The most important thing that you can do for Bitcoin is to talk about it. That was one of the more important aspects of my life. I didn’t want to give up on that.”

Bitcoin corporate treasuries and Saylor’s outsized advantage

Jameson’s conviction is indisputable, and the lengths he’s gone to advocate for Bitcoin deserve a Nobel prize. Did he always expect the industry to evolve this way, with $100K price units, Bitcoin corporate treasuries, and an AI and crypto czar in the White House?

“I’ve always been surprised by the level of volatility,” he admits. “When I initially got into Bitcoin, I was viewing it as sort of a 30-year generation-level savings account. I wasn’t seeing it as a speculative investment that was going to go up many orders of magnitude just over the next decade.”

That’s not to say he’s pleased with everything, though. Bitcoin at the Oval Office is a far cry from the peer-to-peer electronic cash system originally presented to the world.

“I certainly have a lot of concerns with the current state of the ecosystem, mainly that a lot of the adoption that seems to be happening right now is happening through TradFi vehicles that don’t even give people an option to take self-custody. So, that worries me both from a cultural perspective and a systemic risk perspective of where the system is headed.”

With Michael Saylor pledging to buy Bitcoin until Strategy scoops up 10% of the supply and Bitcoin treasury companies popping up like weeds, I imagine this is quite a concern…

“If too much Bitcoin gets concentrated in too few hands, we run the risk of essentially recreating a highly centralized system,” he replies.

He confesses to being “conflicted” over the rising phenomenon of Bitcoin treasury companies because, on the one hand, Bitcoin is for everyone, yet, on the other, Strategy is “so far ahead and they keep pulling out further ahead.” He would like to see a more level playing field, which is why he decided to invest in David Bailey’s Nakamoto.

“It’s not because I think that corporate Bitcoin treasury adoption is the best thing since sliced bread. It’s because I felt like we needed to have a broader and more diverse group of corporate treasuries to compete with Saylor, to try to slow down how much he can continue accumulating. He has hundreds of thousands of coins. What if he got to the point of having like five or 10% of the total supply? That’s reaching systemic risk levels.”

Jameson on quantum computing (or, we’re all ‘screwed’)

I ask what the greatest threat to the Bitcoin network is: centralization or quantum computing? Jameson’s been tweeting about the latter a lot recently:

“There’s multiple long-term existential issues that I worry about. Quantum is an issue that I worry about in conjunction with things like ossification and scaling.”

He continues:

“With quantum computing, there’s like half a dozen problems that are going on in parallel, and in order to “solve the quantum computing problem,” we’ll have to come to consensus on these half a dozen things simultaneously, which is pretty much unprecedented. Given the slowing and the increasing difficulty and consensus changes to the Bitcoin protocol, this is why I started talking about it a year ago.”

He compares the quantum computing problem to climate change, in that it’s an ever-present threat, yet seems distant when there are more pressing issues to face.

“I think it’s a similar type of problem within Bitcoin, but it’s exacerbated by the fact that, first, it takes years to get consensus on a change. Then it takes multiple years after the consensus change is activated for the rest of the ecosystem to implement it, and, in this case, there’s an
additional delay of multiple years because people will have to migrate their funds. We’ve never been in that situation before.”

And how far away is quantum computing?

There are a number of predictions on this, he explains, from those who say it’s already here to others who believe it will never arrive because of “some quantum physics level attribute that will prevent us from ever achieving that level of computation.” What we know for certain, he says, is that several government and standards agencies are advising people to prepare for it within at least five years.

“Assuming that’s conservative and that we have at least five years, then, you know, maybe we actually have 10 or 15 years… I certainly hope that we have 10 years. If we only have five years, I think we’re screwed because it will take several years to get the consensus change, and then several years for it to matriculate and everyone to migrate. I’m hoping we have at least 10 years, that would be a good buffer.”

Sleeping soundly in a world of uncertainty

Of all the shifting narratives and cultural clashes over the past few years, the one that bothers Jameson the most is the pervasive dogma that Bitcoin is “inevitable” and “perfect” as it is. This is a dangerous view, in his opinion—and one often purveyed by proponents of ossification. He says:

“That leads to what I consider to be the greatest threat to Bitcoin over the long term, which is apathy. If people are apathetic about continuing to talk about improving Bitcoin, that’s when it becomes weak and more vulnerable to new threats that can emerge.”

Between perilous narratives, God-like AI, centralization of the network, and quantum computing looming ahead, the future feels pretty bleak. There’s so much to worry about, I exclaim.

As a security pioneer and defender of the soundest money the world has ever seen, does Jameson manage to get any sleep at all? He frowns for a moment before replying:

“I try not to let all of these things that are outside of my control keep me up at night. Like I said before, continuing to talk about Bitcoin and discuss its problems is one of the best ways that people can contribute to the space…

It’s about keeping people interested and engaged and thinking about what we can do to address problems before they happen.”

Mentioned in this article

The money-market fund industry is booming as the Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady.

Bloomberg, citing info from Crane Data LLC, reports that the amount of capital invested in the money-market industry has now soared to a record $7.4 trillion, with $320 billion pouring into the funds in 2025 so far.

Money-market funds are financial instruments that allow people to invest in lower-risk and short-term debt securities, including US Treasuries.

Deborah Cunningham, chief investment officer for global liquidity markets at Federated Hermes, tells Bloomberg that the Federal Reserve’s ongoing monetary policy choices suggest the money market industry could continue to grow and easily stretch to $7.5 trillion in assets this year.

“Five-percent-plus rates were nirvana, four-percent-plus is still very good – and if we dip down into the high threes, that’s quite acceptable as well.”

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced last week that it planned to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 4.25-4.5%, arguing that it was the most suitable level to achieve both maximum employment and controlled inflation. The Fed has held interest rates steady since December, when it cut the rate by 0.25%.

Michael Bird, senior fund manager at Allspring Global Investments, tells Bloomberg that it’s “not surprising” that asset levels in the money-market sector have grown.

“Even if the Fed picks up its easing campaign this year, rates will still be relatively high…”

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

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The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is taking action against a former bank employee who allegedly stole millions of dollars from customer accounts.

The OCC says it’s issuing an order of prohibition against William Shane Garrow, the former senior vice president of private banking for a subsidiary of BOK Financial in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Says the OCC,

“Between approximately March 17, 2021 and March 12, 2024, respondent misappropriated approximately $3,437,536 from multiple customers’ accounts under the bank’s custody for his personal benefit, without the customers’ knowledge or authorization.”

According to the OCC, Garrow engaged in unsafe and unsound practices and violations of law that resulted in significant losses for the bank.

The regulator has now banned Garrow from working at insured depository institutions, including banks and credit unions. The former bank executive is consenting to the issuance of the order without admitting or denying the OCC’s findings.

The OCC action comes after Garrow pleaded guilty to bank fraud and willfully making and subscribing a false Federal income tax return. Garrow was sentenced last month to 71 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $3.86 million in restitution and $1.519 million to the IRS.

Prosecutors said Garrow directed fraudulent wire transfers and cashier’s checks from at least 16 client accounts to entities and bank accounts that he controlled. If a client asked about the transactions, Garrow blamed it on a banking error and would return the funds stolen or transfer money from another victim’s account.

Said US Attorney Clint Johnson last month,

“Garrow deceived people for over 12 years, and his actions wreaked havoc on banking personnel who were tasked with correcting his wrongs. This was not a simple banking error or an accident, but rather a criminal scheme. Garrow abused the trust given to him by the bank and its customers.”

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June 17th Why Bitfinex’s KYC process sets the gold standard for the crypto industry

Do you lend you money to a stranger who emailed you from Blue?

that’s right.

But that’s the reality of the internet in 2025. Every day you deal with people you have never met from every corner of the world. Many are legal. Some people know exactly how to hide behind layers of fake information.

In fact, as Bitrace Crypto Crime Report 2025 points out, crypto-related losses are already at the top $505 million this year63% are tied to phishing, lag pull and social engineering for hacking and the rest. Many of these crimes share one thing in common. They exploit the fact that they know or do not exist on the customer (KYC) process on a platform where compliance is not a priority.

Bitfinex not only follows global compliance standards, Sets the gold standard. The KYC process is designed to protect users, prevent fraud and ensure long-term access to a mature financial system.

At Bitfinex, KYC is the backbone of trust. All strangers are verified here. Thousands have gone through our verification process just like you. Everything to protect you!

Bitfinex verifies all strangers

KYC is not about deficits. It’s about responsibility. Without it, criminals could slip through the cracks using Throway Accounts as LaunchPads for money laundering and fraud.

While some platforms boast “instant access” or “no KYC required,” the underlying reality is that users are at high risk and conversions for revenue are often high. When combined with high-stakes trading competitions, generous bonuses, and a fast tracking KYC process that prioritizes speed over thoroughness, the heavy hype (often not ignored) list is all part of the drive for large-scale acquisitions.

According to a 2020 survey by blockchain analytics firm Cyphertrace, in 2019, roughly 56% of crypto exchanges still had KYC. That same year, the criminal did the laundry Estimated $3.38 billion Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies

Many exchanges often prioritize fast user acquisition and retail volume at every cost, at the expense of safety. Bitfinex is always choosing the route of longevity, transparency and compliance.

Does everyone trust a bank that has allowed millions of people to move without checking who they are? We don’t do that either.

Whether it’s a bank, intermediary, or crypto exchange, all trusted financial platforms require identity verification. This is the standard for the best financial practices. Bitfinex has set the same financial standards for crypto exchanges.

This is how strong KYC looks like

The Bitfinex process is clear and structured, but intentionally thorough.

• Basics and verification
  Upload your ID, check your address and phone number, and take a quick selfie.
  This gives you access to crypto deposits, withdrawals, and spot transactions.
• Interim verification
  Add a second ID, proof of address and fill in a short financial format.
  Perfect for when you want a higher limit or unlock a margin transaction.
• Complete verification
  Include a bank statement and some additional details.
  This is necessary if you want to deposit or withdraw Fiat.

This is bank grade onboardingbillions are built for users who travel daily and operate in a market where security is not an option.

Like trusted financial institutions, they don’t offer sophisticated tools or global liquidity to anyone without checking who is behind the screen.

A platform worthy of professional traders

Celebrating her as she is registered with the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Original Bitcoin exchange As our heritage, Bitfinex has been serving professional traders and institutions since 2012. That legacy is not built on hype. It is built on trust. It happened because security, regulations and infrastructure were taken seriously long before it became industry standards.

Today, I’m pretty much holding Bitfinex 403,000 BTCit’s worth it $47 billionI’ll make it The second largest bitcoin reserve In a central exchange. This is a signal that the largest holders of the space continue to choose Bitfinex to move, manage and protect large capital.

On-chain data confirms Bitfinex’s appeal to whales containing a $400 million ETH transfer From two dormant wallets for 2024. These are long-term actors who choose infrastructure built for serious capital.

The KYC process is intentionally strict to ensure that not only meets global regulatory standards, but also ensures that all customers on the platform are protected. The KYC process is refined, audited and stress-tested to meet where the industry is, as well as where it is headed.

And that’s why Bitfinex continues to attract The most serious participants in the spacepeople who think and act intentionally in the long term.

Trust is gained and not fast tracking

The thorough KYC process is a feature and a high bar that we proudly set up. And the foundations of wealth buildings begin with asset security, which is its roots. In Crypto, things built to last, like life, are never easy and are most valuable.

At the end of the day, the platform that takes your identity seriously is Take your assets seriously too.

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