Changing The “Bitcoin Is Useless” Narrative

This is an opinion editorial by Ray Youssef, CEO of Paxful and co-founder of the Built With Bitcoin Foundation.

Bitcoin has the power to help real people, but the “Bitcoin is useless” narrative still exists. Traveling on the ground in the emerging world, I’ve heard hundreds of stories from people who’ve said that Bitcoin has changed their lives for the better. And it’s no surprise. People are using Bitcoin for remittances, e-commerce, wealth preservation and social good. It’s the strongest solution for the unbanked, giving people the opportunity to put the financial power back into their own hands. So how do we change the narrative? Only with education can we break through the noise and show the rest of the world what Bitcoin can really do.

Over the last few months I’ve traveled through the U.S., South America and Europe, attending meetups, events and speaking with our users. One of my stops was the Oslo Freedom Forum, where I was lucky enough to meet activists from all over the world who are fighting for freedom. Bitcoin not only provides freedom from government control, but provides access to the global economy. It’s the people who are on the ground spreading this message that will really change the world.

Bitcoin Is Freedom

I’ve heard Farida Nabourema speak many times, and I continue to be inspired by her story. Her work fighting for democracy in Togo is the work of a true hero. In a country where people are silenced for speaking out, or prevented from receiving money from their family or friends outside the country, Nabourema is showing the way out. Bitcoin offers an alternative to traditional finance that is permissionless, borderless and inclusive of everyone. And now with Bitcoin, the people of Togo can take control of their financial future.

Back in 2020, the people of Nigeria were fighting against police brutality though the #EndSARS protests. Ire Aderinokun witnessed what it was like to be shut out by the banking system when the government froze bank accounts. Instead, the Feminist Coalition turned to Bitcoin to continue raising funds for their efforts.

Another activist I admire is Roya Mahboob, one of the first people to introduce Bitcoin to Afghanistan. Understanding the opportunities that Bitcoin could provide, Mahboob paid her female employees in bitcoin. For some, it was a way out from under the government — for others, it was a sense of independence they didn’t have before. Bitcoin not only provides sovereignty, but a sense of ownership. Thanks to people like Mahboob, more people are learning that.

Bitcoin On The Ground

Hearing these stories confirms that the key to global adoption comes from the ground up. I strongly believe in the power of local education, and in order to get to a billion Bitcoiners, we need to listen to the needs of different communities. I’ve been on the ground in communities all around the world to learn more about how Bitcoin can help the little guy. Take El Salvador, for example: while bitcoin is legal tender there’s still a massive need for education. Nathaly Maria Cortez from El Salvador came to our education center in the country to learn more about Bitcoin. She now advises her family and friends that do not have access to banking or the traditional financial system. Another user, Don Walter, has seen firsthand how Bitcoin has transformed his community through bitcoin donations. I could go on.

Changing The Narrative

These stories are just a handful of the many voices who have now experienced the power of Bitcoin firsthand. Farida once shared that you cannot have independence without monetary independence and that is what Bitcoin truly provides for the first time. All around the world, Bitcoin is creating opportunities for people who have limited financial access. It’s only through Bitcoin education and its real use cases that we can inspire even more people to take part in this financial revolution.

This is a guest post by Ray Youssef. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc. or Bitcoin Magazine.

Canadian Trucker Protest Bypasses Fundraising Restrictions With Bitcoin

Freedom Convoy, a cohort of Canadian truckers protesting for the end of COVID-related mandates in the country and the restoration of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, had received C$10 million ($7.8 million) in donations until its fundraising platform, GoFundMe, froze their funds on Friday alleging violations of its terms of service.

“GoFundMe supports peaceful protests and we believe that was the intention of the Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser when it was first created,” GoFundMe said in a Friday statement. “We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previous peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity.”

“This fundraiser is now in violation of our Terms of Service (Term 8, which prohibits the promotion of violence and harassment) and has been removed from the platform,” the platform said.

In this statement, GoFundMe also said donors who wanted a refund had to submit a request until February 19; otherwise, the money would be sent to other “credible and established charities.” After a huge backlash, however, the platform issued an updated statement on Saturday saying that all donations would be automatically refunded to donors.

Despite this being a positive change for those expecting refunds after GoFundMe’s abrupt removal, the furnishing of automatic refunds was likely the expectation of many, without the need for such an update..

The changes instituted by GoFundMe demonstrate how traditional payment rails can be politicized and stopped at will, most often sidelining movements that defy the status quo of their jurisdiction by cutting off access to donation avenues altogether.

For instance, a similar series of events took place in Nigeria in 2020, when the Feminist Coalition, a Nigerian advocacy group formed earlier that year focused on advancing and protecting women’s rights in the country, saw donations meant to help the country’s #EndSARS movement stopped by centralized fundraising platforms. Without a funding source, the movement would sooner or later come to an end; however, the Nigerian group found a sovereign lifeline in bitcoin – something the Canadian truckers have now found as well.

At the time of writing, the Freedom Convoy has raised over 8.80 BTC through its bitcoin donations page. Although the page was set up a couple of days before GoFundMe shut down its fundraising, the lifeline came in handy to quickly supercharge the convoy’s efforts in vouching for a wide range of individual freedoms that the truckers claim the Canadian government took away from them.

Those interested in supporting the truckers’ protest can gift BTC through the Freedom Convoy’s new donations page, which accepts bitcoin donations on-chain and on the Lightning Network.

Oslo Freedom Forum Set To Host Bitcoin Academy

The 2021 Oslo Freedom Forum, an international events series highlighting human rights activism, will host a Bitcoin Academy as one of its three programming tracks on October 4 and 5 in Miami, emphasizing the potential that this technology has for enabling freedom and sovereignty around the world.

A dedicated Bitcoin room at the event’s New World Theater venue will gather Bitcoin educators and promoters with attending human rights activists, policymakers and philanthropists, providing overviews and hands-on workshops to demonstrate how anyone in the world can access financial freedom through Bitcoin.

“The goal of the Bitcoin Academy is to put 100-plus dissidents and human rights activists from more than 40 countries in the same room as the world’s top Bitcoin educators and builders for two days,” explained Alex Gladstein, the chief strategy officer for Human Rights Foundation, which organizes the forum. “We’ll make meaningful strides towards teaching global communities how to achieve financial freedom and privacy in an increasingly controlled and surveilled world, and we’ll also get fresh ideas into the Bitcoin community from some of the most creative and brave individuals on the planet, who work daily under incredibly adversarial environments.”

As a free and open-source software, the Bitcoin network can be accessed by anyone, in any part of the world with an internet connection. It has proven to be a powerful tool for protest groups seeking to collect donations in the face of financial services bans, such as those supporting Nigeria’s #EndSARS movement. And it can provide a lifeline of financial savings for people whose fiat currency is unduly manipulated and devalued by authoritarian governments.

Through the Bitcoin Academy programming, the Oslo Freedom Forum seeks to enable more groups in need of such a permissionless, decentralized financial network to access it by demystifying its history, operations and practicality.

“Programming will focus on global Bitcoin adoption, the political history of Bitcoin, getting hands-on with the Lightning Network, learning how to receive donations and income in bitcoin, learning how to spend your bitcoin, learning how to sell bitcoin for fiat currency, learning how to use Bitcoin privately, learning about leveling up your security with multi-sig, discussing who controls Bitcoin, why Bitcoin mining is important, and sharing lessons from El Zonte about how to build a Bitcoin community,” per the Oslo Freedom Forum website.

Bitcoin Academy presenters and instructors include Elizabeth Stark, the CEO and founder of Lightning Network development firm Lightning Labs; Rockstar Dev, developer for open-source bitcoin payment processor BTCPay Server and Lightning Network platform Strike; Ray Youssef, the CEO of global Bitcoin exchange Paxful; and many more high-profile Bitcoin experts.

The Oslo Freedom Forum is currently accepting applications to apply.