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> To see a a conflict of interest here is like saying that you must not write about the US-Dollar as a journalist as long as you have some. No, it's like havin

> To see a a conflict of interest here is like saying that you must not write about the US-Dollar as a journalist as long as you have some. No, it's like having AT&T stock and writing about AT&T. As much as web3 fans WANT crypto "currency" to be a currency, it is still, at best, a volatile, high risk investment vehicle.

asah 4y ago
FYI a sizable percentage of America owns some amount of crypto - depending on the study, anywhere from 8%-20% - that's more than $100 bills in wallets, which is ~5% of Americans. Only if you include ETFs and mutual funds can you claim this about AT&T stock. https://www.google.com/search?q=percent+america+owns+crypto https://www.google.com/search?q=percent+america+owns+crypto https://www.google.com/search?q=percentage+americans+have+100+dollar+bills https://www.google.com/search?q=percentage+americans+have+10...
- Ensorceled 4y ago
  I’m not sure what your point is. Journalists can hold mutual funds and ETFs without being in conflict of interest. Since a journalist writing about crypto currency can have direct impact on that coin’s value, they are ethically bound to not write about coins the hold. Just like direct holdings of stock.
  - asah 4y ago
    When SEC approves crypto ETFs that's great until then Americans are rolling their own from direct holdings.
    - Ensorceled 4y ago
      And, again, journalists writing about crypto should avoid doing that until there is an actual “etf for crypto”.
Archelaos 4y ago
The legal classification in the EU should be interesting here. The directive 2018/843/EU defines "virtual currencies" and classifies them as "means of exchange" (in contrast to "fiat currencies" and "legal tender"): “virtual currencies” means a digital representation of value that is not issued or guaranteed by a central bank or a public authority, is not necessarily attached to a legally established currency and does not possess a legal status of currency or money, but is accepted by natural or legal persons as a means of exchange and which can be transferred, stored and traded electronically; Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32018L0843 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CEL...

asah 4y ago

FYI a sizable percentage of America owns some amount of crypto - depending on the study, anywhere from 8%-20% - that's more than $100 bills in wallets, which is ~5% of Americans. Only if you include ETFs and mutual funds can you claim this about AT&T stock. https://www.google.com/search?q=percent+america+owns+crypto https://www.google.com/search?q=percent+america+owns+crypto https://www.google.com/search?q=percentage+americans+have+100+dollar+bills https://www.google.com/search?q=percentage+americans+have+10...

Ensorceled 4y ago
I’m not sure what your point is. Journalists can hold mutual funds and ETFs without being in conflict of interest. Since a journalist writing about crypto currency can have direct impact on that coin’s value, they are ethically bound to not write about coins the hold. Just like direct holdings of stock.
- asah 4y ago
  When SEC approves crypto ETFs that's great until then Americans are rolling their own from direct holdings.
  - Ensorceled 4y ago
    And, again, journalists writing about crypto should avoid doing that until there is an actual “etf for crypto”.

Archelaos 4y ago

The legal classification in the EU should be interesting here. The directive 2018/843/EU defines "virtual currencies" and classifies them as "means of exchange" (in contrast to "fiat currencies" and "legal tender"): “virtual currencies” means a digital representation of value that is not issued or guaranteed by a central bank or a public authority, is not necessarily attached to a legally established currency and does not possess a legal status of currency or money, but is accepted by natural or legal persons as a means of exchange and which can be transferred, stored and traded electronically; Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32018L0843 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CEL...