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> In countries with unstable currencies they are useful stores of value (Venezuela, Turkey and Zimbabwe right now) Also, Cuba and Argentina. While Bitcoin may

by yosito 5y ago

> In countries with unstable currencies they are useful stores of value (Venezuela, Turkey and Zimbabwe right now) Also, Cuba and Argentina. While Bitcoin may be more accessible to people in these countries, they could also store value in USD, or other stable assets. > By making online retail anonymous I really don't understand the persistent myth that blockchains are anonymous.

LatteLazy 5y ago
Blockchain is anonymous if you use it correctly I believe (don't reuse wallets, launder you coins etc) but you're right that the vast majority of people don't do that as far as I'm aware. Full disclosure: I've never actually done it either and I'm no expert...
- tonfreed 5y ago
  The big ones like Bitcoin are pseudonymous. If you know someone's wallet you can see their entire history on the ledger. Private coins like Monero are different, and transactions can only be ascertained if you're one of the parties involved.
BurningPenguin 5y ago
Bitcoin isn't, but there are alternatives that are. Like Monero. It just doesn't get as much hype.
akemichan 5y ago
In Argentina you can only buy 200 USD per month and even that isn't guaranteed, you have to make appointments with banks in a lot of places. And even if you get them, you can't use them outside of the country because such payments are mostly blocked. You can pay online services or internatioal shippings by converting to crypto first and trade it with a foreigner to deposit USD in a foreign bank account, and then make the actual payment.
DarkWiiPlayer 5y ago
> I really don't understand the persistent myth that blockchains are anonymous. They are, at least in principle. Sure, if you pay for something and have it delivered to your home, someone now knows the address linked to the wallet you used; do this a lot, and the chances increase that this link will end up in the wrong databases. But that doesn't mean bitcoin & co. aren't, at least on their own, fairly anonymous.

by yosito 5y ago

LatteLazy 5y ago

Blockchain is anonymous if you use it correctly I believe (don't reuse wallets, launder you coins etc) but you're right that the vast majority of people don't do that as far as I'm aware. Full disclosure: I've never actually done it either and I'm no expert...

tonfreed 5y ago
The big ones like Bitcoin are pseudonymous. If you know someone's wallet you can see their entire history on the ledger. Private coins like Monero are different, and transactions can only be ascertained if you're one of the parties involved.

BurningPenguin 5y ago

Bitcoin isn't, but there are alternatives that are. Like Monero. It just doesn't get as much hype.

akemichan 5y ago

In Argentina you can only buy 200 USD per month and even that isn't guaranteed, you have to make appointments with banks in a lot of places. And even if you get them, you can't use them outside of the country because such payments are mostly blocked. You can pay online services or internatioal shippings by converting to crypto first and trade it with a foreigner to deposit USD in a foreign bank account, and then make the actual payment.

DarkWiiPlayer 5y ago

> I really don't understand the persistent myth that blockchains are anonymous. They are, at least in principle. Sure, if you pay for something and have it delivered to your home, someone now knows the address linked to the wallet you used; do this a lot, and the chances increase that this link will end up in the wrong databases. But that doesn't mean bitcoin & co. aren't, at least on their own, fairly anonymous.