In a lot of ways, the transfer of cryptocurrency is the same as the transfer of generic messages.
It's only when you're transferring them back to dollars/yuan/yen/etc. that it's suddenly currency from a government.
It's only when you're transferring them back to dollars/yuan/yen/etc. that it's suddenly currency from a government.
Technically, yes. Legally and sociopolitically, no.
And if you intentionally muddle the data streams, that brings the full force of anti-money laundering, tax evasion and terrorist financing law against you. It gives almost any government a free pass to do what it wants.
Freedom to speak privately is, in most democracies, popularly recognised as a right. Freedom to pay using dark money is not. Attaching the second to the first weakens both.
Bitcoin Core (the software) is not registered as a money transmitter anywhere in the world, its developers are fine and never got into any trouble.
We agree. There is a legal difference between a custodial exchange and noncustodial wallet. Just as there is a difference between a non-money messaging system and a noncustodial wallet. The comment you are responding to concerned itself with the latter.