Who does really need privacy when using Bitcoin?
For many, Bitcoin has been a way to earn money. Especially around the Western countries, bitcoin and most of the other cryptocurrencies have been seen as an investment vehicle that can yield excessive returns.
And while this might be true, Bitcoin brings to the world much more than just a profit. It helps solve several problems, which we will explore in the following series of use cases:
Disclaimer: This article does not serve as a piece of financial advice or encouragement and inducement for the usage of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Its primary role is informative, explanatory, and educational. The readers have to decide themselves whether to use or not to use these types of services.
Financial privacy is under increasing threat from stringent KYC and AML regulations. While these measures are intended to curb illicit activity, they also expose ordinary users to extensive surveillance and data collection, undermining their personal autonomy and security. As a result of these regulations, crypto mixers and privacy-focused wallets are being targeted, but what are the real consequences of losing financial privacy?
With the recent pressure to eliminate blockchain privacy tools such as privacy wallets and crypto mixers, Whir is at a crossroads. Increased regulatory scrutiny, especially from regions with strict overregulation such as the United States (US) and the European Union (EU), has created significant challenges for crypto mixers. As a result, we have to make a difficult request to our valued users from these regions: we kindly ask you to refrain from using our CoinJoin service.
In recent years, the cryptocurrency world has seen a growing tension between regulators and privacy-focused services. Recent crackdowns on prominent players such as Tornado Cash and Samourai Wallet are sending shockwaves through the crypto industry and raising fears of over-regulation. The costs of oversight and control are high and, as usual, are passed on to ordinary users, who end up losing the ability to conduct crypto transactions privately.
