EthicsInCrypto

#EthicsInCrypto
Cryptocurrency has become an increasingly popular investment option in recent years. However, as with any investment, there are ethical considerations that investors should take into account. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the ethics of investing in cryptocurrency and provide some suggestions for investors.
Environmental Impact of Cryptocurrency Mining
​One of the main ethical concerns with cryptocurrency is its environmental impact. Cryptocurrency mining requires a significant amount of energy, which can have a negative impact on the environment. In fact, some estimates suggest that Bitcoin mining alone consumes more energy than entire countries. To address this issue, some cryptocurrencies have implemented more energy-efficient mining algorithms. For example, Ethereum now moves from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, which is expected to significantly reduce its energy consumption.
Social Responsibility
​Another ethical consideration when investing in cryptocurrency is social responsibility. Some cryptocurrencies have been associated with illegal activities, such as money laundering and drug trafficking (well, which is not fair, since illegal activities can be done with any fiat currency too!). Additionally, some cryptocurrencies have been criticized for their lack of transparency and accountability.
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To address these concerns, investors should do their due diligence before investing in any cryptocurrency. This includes researching the team behind the cryptocurrency, as well as its use cases and potential for growth. Investors should also consider investing in cryptocurrencies that are backed by reputable companies or organizations.
Volatility and Risk
​Another ethical consideration when investing in cryptocurrency is volatility and risk. Cryptocurrencies are known for their volatility, which can result in significant losses for investors. Additionally, the lack of regulation in the industry means that investors may be more susceptible to fraud and scams.
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To mitigate these risks, investors should diversify their portfolios and only invest what they can afford to lose. Additionally, investors should choose reputable exchanges and wallets to store their cryptocurrency. It's also important to stay up-to-date on the latest news and developments in the industry to make informed investment decisions.​
The Role of Cryptocurrency in Society
​While there are ethical considerations when investing in cryptocurrency, it's important to recognize the potential benefits that cryptocurrency can bring to society. Cryptocurrency has the potential to increase financial inclusion and reduce barriers to entry for people who are unbanked or underbanked. Additionally, cryptocurrency can facilitate cross-border payments and reduce transaction fees.
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Cryptocurrency can also be used for social good. For example, some charities and non-profit organizations accept cryptocurrency donations. It can also be used to fund social impact projects or to support sustainable development initiatives.​
Conclusion
​Even though cryptocurrency can also be used for social good, investing in cryptocurrency comes with its own set of ethical considerations. Investors should take into account the environmental impact of cryptocurrency mining, social responsibility, volatility, and risk when making investment decisions.

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#EthicsInCrypto
Trump has called for the U.S. to buy a strategic crypto reserve.
Donald Trump once called cryptocurrency a “scam.” Now ethics experts fear the president may be carrying out a rules-bending crypto scheme of his own by holding onto crypto assets while serving in the White House.
Federal ethics rules bar conflicts of interest involving financial holdings. A 2022 opinion from the Office of Government Ethics argued federal employees should remove themselves from crypto issues “when there is a real possibility that the matter will result in a gain or loss to the employee’s digital assets.”
As an example, the office pointed to a federal employee hypothetically pushing for U.S. currencies to back certain crypto coins that could profit the employee.
Such warnings would seem to apply to Donald Trump. An affiliate of his Trump Organization is one of the main owners of $TRUMP, an “official” Trump-themed crypto meme coin.
A 1980s-era exception to the rules, however, exempts presidents, leaving ethics observers fearful that Trump’s strongly pro-crypto agenda could result in self-dealing.
“If you’ve got a direct, personal financial connection to the crypto industries, there’s a self-interested motivation to create the easiest possible path for the crypto world,” Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, the director of government affairs at the Project on Government Oversight, told The Intercept.
Trump administration Director of National Intelligence pick Tulsi Gabbard, perhaps considering these regulations, has said she will divest from her tens of thousands of dollars in crypto holdings if she’s confirmed.
The backers of the $TRUMP coin have insisted the product, which is hosted on the Solana blockchain network, is merely an “expression of support for, and engagement with, the ideals and beliefs embodied by the symbol ’$TRUMP’ and the associated artwork,” and not an investment.
However, for something that’s not an investment, the coin has attracted a deluge of investors, with a theoretical market cap of more than $5 billion as of Monday afternoon.
Democrats have warned that Donald and Melania Trump’s ownership of separate, name-branded crypto offerings raises alarm bells that the president and First Lady could carry out a “rug-pull” scam and cash in on their ownership.
“We write with deep concern about the decision by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to launch two meme coins, $TRUMP and $MELANIA, that allow them to earn extraordinary profits off his Presidency,” Senator Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Jake Auchincloss wrote in a letter to regulators last week.
“These coins do not create new faster, cheaper, and safer payments [guard] rails. These coins do not help people borrow more affordably. They do not improve the financial system in any way for consumers,” they noted.
The crypto industry spent over $100 million dollars backing Trump and other fellow pro-crypto candidates this cycle, and Trump’s promises to loosen regulation and establish a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve have helped push Bitcoin prices to record highs in recent days.
The Trump administration, given its extensive ties to the business world, has an above-average potential for conflicts of interest.
Billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency project to slash federal spending, owns multiple companies that do business with the federal government and would see major impacts from regulatory changes.
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#EthicsInCrypto
The USA President, Donald Trump, seems to be the subject of a new wave of criticism that sees him at the center of ‘crypto corruption’. Having declared himself in favor of the cryptocurrency sector, Trump and his family continue to enrich themselves with personal enterprises, triggering ethical and legal alarms.
Trump and the crypto corruption: the US President at the center of criticism on ethics and legality
An article from The Guardian reflects the current situation concerning the President of the USA, Donald Trump, and his alleged “roadmap” to crypto corruption.
Recently, in fact, it seems that more and more criticisms are being raised against the Trump family and about the President’s behavior from a perspective of legality and ethics.
In practice, while on one hand the first US President favorable to crypto is drastically reducing surveillance on the industry, on the other hand he and his family are collecting billions of dollars with their crypto enterprises.
The first doubts about Trump’s conduct were raised precisely by the sale of his official memecoin TRUMP.
Something that was already predictable, given that in January, the crypto lawyer Preston Byrne had already announced that lawsuits would be coming against Trump due to the launch of his memecoin.
In February, the organization Public Citizen had denounced the USA President for promoting the memecoin to obtain undeclared donations through social media posts. It was an encouragement to his supporters to send him crypto through explicit references to popular tokens.
Despite these initial criticisms, on May 22, the USA President personally hosted a dinner at his golf club in Virginia for the 220 top TRUMP buyers and a private “reception” for the 25 top buyers.
The event was also characterized by strong public opposition, with as many as 100 protesters who gathered outside the Trump National Golf Club. Already here, the slogan of dissent was “Stop Trump’s Crypto Corruption” and “Democracy Is Not For Sale”.
Trump and the crypto corruption: the memecoin, Justin Sun and the USA SEC
Another topic that caused a stir when talking about the memecoin TRUMP is that among the participants of the gala event was also Justin Sun, the co-founder of Tron.
Sun purchased about 20 million dollars of TRUMP tokens to become the main buyer before the dinner on the 22nd that he attended. Not only that, previously Sun had invested at least 30 million dollars in World Liberty Financial, becoming its main investor and advisor.
This involvement of Trump and Sun has sparked further criticism even within the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the USA.
In practice, in February, the SEC and Sun filed a joint motion to temporarily suspend the legal proceedings initiated in 2023. Here, the main charge was market manipulation, fraud, and issuance of unregistered securities.
After this suspension of the proceedings against Sun, the founder of Tron finds himself to be the largest investor in the projects of Trump and family.
Thus, recently, the representative Glenn Ivey, D-Md, asked SEC Chairman, Paul Atkins, for explanations on the current connection.
Atkins, who has held his role for just over a month, reportedly responded to the legislators’ tough questions, stating that they could pose a problem.
The block of the GENIUS Act
In addition to the memecoin and Sun’s involvement, Trump’s path of crypto corruption also involves the crypto project World Liberty Financial and the launch of the stablecoin USD1.
In this regard, at the beginning of May, the US Senate blocked the bipartisan bill aimed at creating a regulatory framework for crypto. This is the GENIUS Act, the proposal that would have regulated stablecoins and promoted the growth of the US sector.
This block reflects how legislators are increasingly raising questions about conflicts of interest related to Trump and his ties to the crypto sector.
The collection of criticisms against the USA President favorable to crypto
Among the various criticisms reported against Trump, there is that of Professor Richard Briffault, an expert in governmental ethics, who stated:
“Trump is marketing access to himself as a way to profit from his memecoin. People pay to meet Trump and he is the regulator in chief. It is doubly corrupt. It is an unprecedented thing. I don’t think there has ever been anything like this in American history.”
Merkley and Schumer have introduced the End Crypto Corruption Act, which 20 other Democrats have endorsed. Merkley emphasized:
“the bill will not only suppress this corruption, but will also prevent other officials – such as members of Congress and Trump’s billionaire buddy Elon Musk – from betraying the public’s trust”
Larry Noble, former general counsel of the Federal Election Commission who now teaches law at American University, commented:
“Trump’s dealings in the cryptocurrency sector seem to present the biggest conflicts of interest and the greatest possibilities for corruption that a president has ever embraced [..] World Liberty Financial and $Trump seem to allow foreign governments, corporate interests, and wealthy private donors who want something from Trump to secretly increase his wealth. This is a roadmap for corruption. What they want in return for their investments can present real dangers to our economy and national security”..
The democratic representative Jamie Raskin from Maryland instead said:
“Trump’s personal and family net worth has increased by billions of dollars this year thanks to cryptocurrency ventures. This is a perfect opportunity for foreign governments, companies, and individual funds to be funneled into Donald Trump’s bank account and his family’s finances.”

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Argentinian President Javier Milei has been cleared of violating public ethics rules in an investigation regarding his promotion of the cryptocurrency Libra.
The country’s Anti-Corruption Office (OA) found that Milei was acting in a personal capacity and that his actions did not involve official government activity.
The controversy, known as “Cryptogate,” began when Milei promoted the Libra token on his personal social media account.
Following this promotion, the cryptocurrency’s value fell by 90%, resulting in financial losses for investors. This prompted public criticism, legal actions, and calls for impeachment from political opponents.
The OA report indicated that Milei’s post was not associated with government resources or public policy, categorizing it as private communication.
The president had requested the investigation to assess any potential misconduct by himself or members of his government.
While the administrative probe has concluded, a federal criminal court is still investigating the matter.
#EthicsInCrypto

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#EthicsInCrypto
#EthicsInGovernment
Trump Media’s latest plan raises questions over how financial interests tied to the president’s family intersect with federal oversight and policy direction.
Key Takeaways:
The capital raise would substantially expand Trump-affiliated crypto holdings beyond previously disclosed ventures.
Legal experts are assessing how existing ethics and disclosure statutes apply to assets held in revocable trusts controlled by relatives of sitting presidents.
Financial market analysts say the scale of the raise could affect liquidity in major digital assets if deployed aggressively.

Trump Media & Technology Group is preparing to raise $3 billion to purchase digital assets, including Bitcoin, according to a Financial Times report published on May 26.
The company, which operates Truth Social and is controlled by President Donald Trump’s family, is planning a $2 billion equity offering alongside a $1 billion convertible bond. The deal structure remains subject to change, though sources told the FT that interest in the offering has grown in recent weeks.
Trump Media Eyes Crypto Market Expansion
According to people familiar with the matter, the fundraising initiative may be formally announced during a crypto industry event in Las Vegas this week. Scheduled speakers include Vice President JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and crypto policy advisor David Sacks.
If completed, the capital raise would be one of the largest direct investments in cryptocurrency by a media entity. It would also expand the Trump family’s business activity in the sector, which includes two meme coins, an NFT trading card venture, and a stake in a stablecoin platform.
The company’s public response to the FT report was dismissive. “Apparently, the Financial Times has dumb writers listening to even dumber sources,” it said in a statement.
Trump transferred his majority stake in the company, valued at approximately $3 billion, to a revocable trust managed by Donald Trump Jr. after he re-entered office.
TMTG’s approach resembles that of other firms that have acquired large amounts of Bitcoin through debt and equity markets, such as MicroStrategy. Shares of TMTG closed Friday at $25.72, valuing the firm at nearly $6 billion.

President’s Activity Sparks Ethics Concerns
Trump has publicly supported the expansion of crypto access and has pledged to make the United States a leading center for digital assets. Last week, he hosted a private dinner for investors in his personal meme coin project at his golf club.
The planned capital raise places Trump Media in a position to act not just as a participant in crypto markets but as a large holder of digital assets under the direction of the president’s family.
That development adds pressure on lawmakers to clarify the boundaries between officeholders and private financial exposure.
It also raises new concerns about how policy decisions may be shaped when those in power hold material interests in the industries they oversee. The current ethics and disclosure rules may not fully account for the structure or opacity of digital asset holdings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Could a sitting president’s family trust legally hold large digital asset positions?
Current law does not prohibit family-managed trusts from holding such assets, but ethics experts warn that this creates a gray area when the officeholder may benefit indirectly.
How does this differ from previous presidential financial entanglements?
Unlike prior examples centered on real estate or hospitality, this case involves volatile, lightly regulated assets with price sensitivity to policy decisions.
What additional oversight mechanisms exist for revocable trusts?
Revocable trusts are often exempt from public disclosure unless income is transferred directly. This limits what the public or Congress can review in real time.

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#EthicsInCrypto
The president’s hawking of $Trump memecoin has sparked a firestorm of criticism over potential influence buying.
Donald Trump’s push to sharply ease oversight of the cryptocurrency industry, while he and his sons have fast expanded crypto ventures that have reaped billions of dollars from investors including foreign ones, is raising alarm about ethical and legal issues.
Watchdog groups, congressional Democrats and some Republicans have levelled a firestorm of criticism at Trump for hawking his own meme coin, $Trump, a novelty crypto token with no inherent value, by personally hosting a 22 May dinner at his Virginia golf club for the 220 largest buyers of $Trump and a private “reception” for the 25 biggest buyers.
To attend the two events, the $Trump buyers spent about $148m, which will benefit Trump and partners, according to the crypto firm Inca Digital.
Further, the Trump family crypto venture World Liberty Financial that launched last fall, which his two oldest sons have promoted hard, was tapped this month to play a key part in a $2bn investment deal by an Abu Dhabi financial fund in the crypto exchange Binance, which in 2023 pleaded guilty to US money laundering and other violations.
The new WLF deal was announced at an Abu Dhabi crypto conference that drew Eric Trump two weeks before Trump’s mid-May visit to the United Arab Emirates capital, sparking other concerns of improper foreign influence and ethics issues.
Trump’s ardent pursuit of crypto fortunes was highlighted in a report last month from the watchdog group State Democracy Defenders Fund that estimated his crypto ventures as of mid-March to be worth about $2.9bn. That is a striking sum since Trump’s crypto ventures are less than a year old.
Senate Democrats led by Jeff Merkley of Oregon and the minority leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, introduced a bill this month that has garnered sizable Democratic backing to block Trump from using his office to benefit his crypto businesses.
Watchdogs say Trump is exploiting his office for personal gain in unprecedented and dangerous ways.

“There is the appearance if not the reality of corruption in the upcoming dinner with Trump on the 22nd at his Virginia golf club for the 220 biggest Trump meme coin buyers and the private reception he’s promised for the top 25 buyers, plus the separate $2bn deal between World Liberty Financial and the Abu Dhabi investment vehicle,” said Richard Painter, a former White House ethics adviser to George W Bush who co-authored the Democracy Defenders Fund report.
Other experts are equally troubled by Trump’s manifest conflicts.
“Trump is marketing access to himself as a way to profit his memecoin,” said the Columbia Law professor Richard Briffault, an expert on government ethics. Briffault added: “People are paying to meet Trump and he’s the regulator in chief. It’s doubly corrupt. This is unprecedented. I don’t think there’s been anything like this in American history.”
Such concerns were fueled when Trump quickly chose crypto industry allies to run the Securities and Exchange Commission and as his “czar” for crypto and AI. Among other moves, the SEC has dropped or put on hold investigations and prosecutions of over a dozen crypto firms.
This is unprecedented. I don’t think there’s been anything like this in American historyProfessor Richard Briffault
Fears of possible corruption have also focused on Chinese-born Justin Sun, the biggest investor in Trump’s crypto ventures. Sun bought about $20m of $Trump to become its top purchaser before the dinner on the 22nd which he attended. Sun previously invested at least $75m in World Liberty Financial to become its lead investor and an adviser.
Sun may also be benefiting from the SEC’s laxer oversight. Sun was sued by the SEC in 2023 for fraudulent market manipulation and other allegations of misconduct involving three other crypto enterprises of his, including the Tron Foundation.
As the SEC eased its crypto oversight, the agency earlier this year paused its case against Sun, sparking concerns that Trump’s financial ties to Sun might have influenced the agency’s decision, a matter that Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and the Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters of California raised in a letter to the SEC last month.
The SEC has reportedly been holding talks with Sun about settling the charges, and the agency’s chairman told a congressional hearing on 20 May that he knew nothing about Sun’s case.
Other warnings about Trump’s crypto dealings have also been fueled by recent scandals that have plagued crypto businesses, many of which are known for their opaque operations and some illicit dealings including ones tied to North Korean hackers that helped fund the country’s nuclear and military programs.
Crypto critics were dismayed at a justice department memo in April announcing the closure of a national cryptocurrency enforcement team that was established in 2022, which had brought some major crypto cases against North Korean hackers and other crypto criminals.
The memo stressed the justice department was not a “digital assets regulator” and in a political twist lambasted the Biden administration for its “reckless strategy of regulation by prosecution”. The memo noted that a January pro-crypto Trump executive order spurred its decision.
For their part, Trump, his family and White House press statements have dismissed concerns about conflicts of interest or ethical improprieties with Trump promoting his crypto business while in office.

The press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters before the dinner that Trump was attending it in his “personal time” and it was not a White House event, but declined to release names of the attenders.
The Trump Organization in January said that the president’s business interests including his assets and investments, would be placed in a trust that his children would manage and that Trump would not get involved in decision-making or daily operations. Trump’s family also tapped a lawyer to serve as an ethics adviser.
Those pledges have been overshadowed by Trump’s enthusiasm for his digital currencies. In a harbinger of Trump’s two crypto events on the 22nd, in March he hosted the first-ever White House “crypto summit” for a couple of dozen industry leaders where he pledged to end the Biden administration’s “war on crypto”.
“Trump’s crypto schemes are profoundly corrupt,” Merkley told the Guardian. “He’s selling access to his administration and enriching himself in the process.”
In response, Merkley and Schumer introduced the End Crypto Corruption Act, which 20 other Democrats have endorsed.
Merkley stressed that the bill would “not only crack down on this corruption but also prevent other officials – like members of Congress and Trump’s billionaire sidekick Elon Musk – from betraying public trust”.
Merkley’s warnings have been echoed by several watchdogs.
“Trump’s dealings in crypto appear to present the greatest conflicts of interest and avenues for corruption any president has ever embraced,” said Larry Noble, a former general counsel at the Federal Election Commission who now teaches law at American University.
Noble’s alarms are underscored by the large number of foreign buyers who appear to have scooped up Trump’s meme coin to win coveted spots at his dinner.
While the identities of most $Trump purchasers are unknown, several reports from crypto analysts who track the industry suggest that a large number of foreign buyers have ponied up tens of millions of dollars to buy $Trump coins and attend the dinner.
One analysis by Bloomberg has indicated that 19 of the top 25 crypto wallets are almost definitely owned by individuals who operate outside the US.
Sun, who bought $4.5m of his almost $20m in $Trump coins after Trump announced the events on the 22nd, showed his appreciation by posting on X on 19 May: “Honored to support @POTUS and grateful for the invitation from @GetTrumpMemes to attend President Trump’s Gala Dinner as his TOP fan!”
Besides Sun, the second biggest buyer is reportedly MemeCore, a Singapore-based crypto network that was vocal about its interest in attending the Trump dinner and invested $18m.
Trump’s avid embrace of crypto became palpable last summer at a bitcoin conference where he pledged to make the US the “crypto capital of the world”, a marked shift from 2021 when he dismissed bitcoin as a “scam”. The change helped his campaign pull in millions of dollars in crypto industry donations.
Last fall, Trump and his two older sons, Eric and Don Jr, announced on the multibillionaire Elon Musk’s X that they were launching World Liberty Financial.
Trump on X boasted opaquely that “crypto is one of those things we have to do. Whether we like it or not, I have to do it.” A white paper for the new business dubbed Trump “its chief crypto advocate”, and his sons have promoted it aggressively and helped to lure new investments.
Reuters reported in late March, that World Liberty Financial had raised more than $500m in recent months. Trump’s family now controls the bulk of its business and Reuters revealed that it is entitled to about $400m in fees and 75% of revenues from WLF’s token sales.
The recent $2bn investment deal that WLF will be part of with the Abu Dhabi fund and Binance is the latest big financial coup for Trump and his sons, but one that’s raised some red flags given legal problems that have previously beset Binance.
The Abu Dhabi fund MGX , which has backing from the UAE government, according to reports is slated to use a stablecoin product that WLF is now marketing to help complete its $2bn investment deal in Binance. A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency pegged to a traditional currency, or a more stable asset such as the dollar.
The WLF stablecoin, dubbed USD1, will be used by MGX to invest in Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange that operates in dozens of countries; on 22 May Binance also announced that it would list WLF’s USD1 for trading.
Previous legal problems for Binance may attract new attention, say critics including congressional Democrats. Binance’s ex-CEO and founder, Changpeng Zhao, in late 2023 pleaded guilty in the US to violating the Bank Secrecy Act and failing to maintain an effective anti-money-laundering program at Binance, which also copped a guilty plea to criminal charges and paid over $4bn in fines.
Zhao, who served a four-month prison term last year and still owns 90% of the firm, revealed on a podcast on 5 May that he was seeking a pardon from the Trump administration, which several senators raised questions about in a 15 May letter to top justice department officials.
Before WLF’s role with the Abu Dhabi fund’s investment in Binance and to grow its crypto empire, WLF unveiled its first stablecoin in March, as a stablecoin Senate bill – dubbed “the Genius Act”, which critics say eases regulatory controls too much – moved closer to passing.
Trump has taken corruption and self-dealing to a new levelFormer Republican congressman Dave Trott
Watchdog groups and some Democrats including Warren have warned that the Senate bill’s regulations are too lax to prevent fraudulent uses, as new studies have noted that these coins and other digital assets are increasingly being used for money laundering by Chinese exporters and producers of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.
Republicans in Congress have been largely silent about Trump and his family capitalizing on their crypto ventures to enrich themselves. But the Wyoming Republican senator Cynthia Lummis, a lead sponsor of the Genius Act, which on 19 May notched a key vote towards Senate passage and would also benefit WLF’s stablecoin, has said the upcoming $Trump events have given her “pause”.
Some former Republican members are livid about Trump’s crypto dealings.
“Trump has taken corruption and self-dealing to a new level,” said the ex-Republican congressman Dave Trott of Michigan. “He seems singularly motivated to deregulate the crypto industry for the financial benefit of himself and his family, and few Republicans are calling him out.”
Trott said he was weighing a run for Congress in 2026 as an independent or a Democrat. “I wish I was still in Congress so I could vote to impeach the guy,” he added, referring to Trump.
Further, leading House Democrats say Trump’s presidency is benefiting his burgeoning crypto business in dangerous ways.
“Trump’s personal and family net worth has gone up by billions of dollars this year due to crypto ventures,” said the Democratic representative Jamie Raskin from Maryland. Raskin warned that Trump’s crypto ventures offered the “perfect opportunity for foreign government, corporate and individual funds to be funneled into Donald Trump’s bank account and his family’s finances”.
Likewise, Noble foresees national security and other dangers with Trump and his family’s fast-growing crypto businesses.
“World Liberty Financial and $Trump appear to allow foreign governments, corporate interests and wealthy private donors who want something from Trump to secretly add to his wealth. This is a roadmap for corruption. What they want in return for their investments may present real dangers to our economy and national security.”

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#EthicsInCrypto
Michael Saylor and Jordan Peterson Explore Bitcoin, Thermodynamics, and Morality in a Conversation That Redefines Digital Property and the Ethics of Modern Finance
Explore how Michael Saylor defends Bitcoin as incorruptible digital property while Eric Weiss backs him with praise for leading Bitcoin adoption with unmatched conviction.
Summary:
Michael Saylor views Bitcoin as incorruptible energy across time.
He contrasts fiat’s inflation with Bitcoin’s mathematical scarcity.
Eric Weiss hails Saylor as Bitcoin’s most articulate, visionary leader.

Recently, Michael Saylor and Dr. Jordan Peterson, a psychologist and philosopher, had a compelling discussion on Bitcoin as digital property, its thermodynamic foundations, and its implications for accountability and truth. Bitcoin, according to Saylor, is a revolutionary form of incorruptible financial energy that allows people to save money for future generations. The conversation moved beyond money, relating productivity and moral integrity to Bitcoin’s decentralized architecture. The two discussed how Bitcoin empowers people and undermines established hierarchies. Widespread acclaim and thoughtful analysis have been generated by the interview in the academic and crypto communities.
Bitcoin as Digital Property: Thermodynamics and Scarcity
Bitcoin as digital property is more than just a monetary invention – Michael Saylor views it as a technological and ethical turning point. He argues that Bitcoin’s fixed supply, rooted in mathematical scarcity, mimics the laws of thermodynamics. Like energy, Bitcoin cannot be created from nothing, which gives it real, persistent value. This mathematical integrity makes Bitcoin immune to the inflationary dilution that plagues fiat currencies. For Saylor, Bitcoin is digital energy – transportable, incorruptible, and long-lasting. By storing wealth in Bitcoin, individuals essentially preserve productivity across time without the risk of devaluation.
Challenging Traditional Systems of Power and Inflation
In the interview, Saylor draws sharp contrasts between fiat currencies and Bitcoin’s decentralized design. He argues that central banks manipulate the money supply to serve political agendas, often at the expense of citizens. Inflation, he notes, silently erodes purchasing power and wealth, functioning as an invisible tax. Bitcoin’s protocol, however, operates with no central authority. This decentralized financial system defends users from systemic devaluation. It gives them control over their wealth, independent of government policies or monetary institutions. Bitcoin, as a digital property, thus becomes a tool of financial self-sovereignty.
Dr. Peterson explores the philosophical implications of such control. He challenges Saylor to connect these ideas to broader societal values. Saylor responds by emphasizing Bitcoin’s alignment with moral principles. In a world full of manipulated systems, Bitcoin represents digital truth – transparent, fair, and resistant to corruption. Both agree that this emerging system could reshape how future generations perceive trust, value, and responsibility in economics.
Ethics, Natural Law, and Individual Empowerment
Another highlight was the ethical dimension of Bitcoin. Saylor believes Bitcoin rewards productivity and penalizes manipulation. He ties this directly to natural law, suggesting that systems aligned with thermodynamic truth are morally superior. For example, unlike fiat systems, which reward debt and speculation, Bitcoin encourages saving, discipline, and long-term thinking. This message resonates with Peterson’s philosophy, which emphasizes personal responsibility and alignment with truth. Bitcoin as digital property, according to Saylor, allows individuals to act in morally sound and economically secure ways.
A Reaction That Stood Out: Eric Weiss Weighs In
One of the most talked-about reactions came from Eric Weiss, founder of BIGFund and early Bitcoin advocate. Taking to X, Weiss noted, “This interview revealed a lot of personal details about @Saylor that even I was unaware of, pretty fascinating!” The statement highlighted how the interview went beyond financial theory. It gave viewers rare insights into Saylor’s personal beliefs, values, and motivations. For many, it added a new human dimension to Bitcoin as digital property, showing that behind the numbers is a man driven by deep conviction and vision.
What’s Next for Bitcoin and Philosophical Finance
As Bitcoin adoption grows, Saylor believes more individuals will wake up to its value, not just as an asset but as a guiding system. He predicts institutional trust will shift toward decentralized protocols. Bitcoin may evolve into a foundational layer for ethical finance. The conversation with Peterson adds intellectual weight to this narrative, making it clear that Bitcoin’s role in the global economy is far from over. Bitcoin as digital property continues to challenge traditional financial paradigms and inspire thinkers across fields, from science to philosophy.

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#EthicsInCrypto
Trump's exclusive dinner for top $TRUMP coin holders raises ethical concerns over political access and cryptocurrency influence.
Summary:
President Trump hosted a private dinner for top $TRUMP coin investors, raising ethical questions.
Significant investments in the cryptocurrency were required for attendance, with top investors spending over $111 million collectively.
Significant investments in the cryptocurrency were required for attendance, with top investors spending over $111 million collectively.
Lawmakers and ethics experts call for greater transparency and regulation in political fundraising involving cryptocurrencies.

Crypto Investment Meets Political Proximity in Private Trump Dinner
On May 22, 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump hosted an exclusive dinner at his Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. The invitation-only event was open to the top 220 holders of the $TRUMP memecoin, a digital token that has seen skyrocketing engagement since early 2025. Attendees gained access by holding large quantities of the token, with reports confirming over $148 million in total investments by dinner participants.
Notable guests included global crypto figureheads such as TRON founder Justin Sun. The top 25 holders reportedly spent over $111 million collectively, receiving perks like limited-edition Trump-branded luxury watches, a private meet-and-greet, and front-row seating at the dinner. Images shared by crypto personality Sheldon gave the public its first visual confirmation of the event, showing tables decorated with campaign-style posters reading “Fight Fight Fight” and Trump-themed memorabilia.
The dinner, while framed as a personal gathering, showcased a growing convergence between digital assets and political influence. A three-course meal and custom gift bags underlined the exclusivity of the evening, which some critics now describe as a “crypto fundraising spectacle.” The optics of financial investment translating into face time with a presidential candidate have raised questions about ethical boundaries in campaign finance and political engagement.
Lawmakers and Experts Call for Greater Transparency Around Crypto-Funded Events
Following the event, bipartisan concern emerged around what some are calling a potential loophole in campaign fundraising. While traditional political contributions are capped and strictly disclosed, investment in cryptocurrencies like $TRUMP remains largely unregulated. The pseudonymous nature of many transactions complicates transparency, making it difficult to identify foreign contributors or detect potential conflicts of interest.
Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, issued statements warning about the rise of pay-to-play access via crypto mechanisms. Ethics experts have expressed similar alarm, pointing to the lack of disclosure frameworks for political figures interacting with privately-issued tokens. Although the Trump campaign claims no official endorsement of the token, the optics of such a gathering blur the lines between personal financial ventures and political capital.
This event arrives amid increasing scrutiny of political figures entering the crypto space. Earlier in 2025, multiple congressional hearings examined whether digital assets could be exploited to circumvent federal election laws. Analysts at the Brookings Institution have argued that such scenarios represent a regulatory blind spot, as decentralized assets allow for financial influence without the oversight that governs fiat-based donations.
Even Trump’s allies within the GOP are reportedly concerned. Sources close to the campaign suggest internal debates are ongoing about how best to separate political operations from the memecoin’s growing market presence. With over 50,000 wallets holding $TRUMP at the time of the dinner, the scale of involvement points to a new era in which political branding and financial speculation are becoming indistinguishable.

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#EthicsInCrypto
Members of Trump’s inner circle headlined a crypto conference in Vegas while the Trump family maintains personal crypto ties.
President Donald Trump called bitcoin a scam against the dollar in 2021. You wouldn’t know it this week.
Key members of the president’s inner circle are headlining the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, a vivid illustration of Trump’s dramatic turnaround on the issue and a key example of the mix of a political and personal embrace of cryptocurrency that’s raising new ethical issues.
Vice President JD Vance spoke Wednesday afternoon about the administration’s efforts on stablecoin legislation. David Sacks, Trump’s crypto czar, also took the stage, as well as Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., who are both involved in several crypto ventures of their own that have faced conflict-of-interest concerns.
The Vegas conference is the latest in a series of examples of Trump’s pro-crypto agenda that’s increasingly intertwined with his own financial interests. On Tuesday, the parent company of Truth Social, whose majority shareholder is Trump, said it was raising $2.5 billion to buy bitcoin. Last week, Trump held a private dinner featuring buyers of his personalized crypto memecoin, who dumped $148 million into the token.
While watchdog groups, congressional Democrats and even some Republicans have raised red flags about the Trump family’s entanglements with crypto, Trump is doubling down. Inside the White House, officials insist events like the memecoin dinner are “separate” from the White House and “unaffiliated” crypto enterprises. And despite the bipartisan eyebrow raises, officials say there’s no plan for Trump’s private ventures to be put on hold while he runs the executive branch — defending the revocable trust where most of Trump’s assets lie, which is controlled by his son, Donald Jr.
That’s causing headaches within the administration, with even those working on crypto issues trying to separate themselves from Trump’s potential conflicts of interest. Sacks — the former venture capitalist who is now Trump’s crypto czar — has argued that handling the president’s business ties to the industry isn’t part of his job, according to a former Trump official who has been close to the administration’s crypto policies and was granted anonymity to discuss the private conversations.
Sacks, instead, views his job as running point on crypto policy across the administration “to grow this market and to make the market competitive with other countries,” the former official said.
“It’s possible for two things to be true at the same time,” the former official said. “You’ve never seen a president self-dealing off of policy the way that this president does. … At the same time, mostly, this [is] good policy.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment and a spokesperson for Sacks declined to comment.
Though the Trump family business has long been real estate, the president and venture partners have been charting the lucrative waters of crypto for the last couple of years. Trump was the first major-party candidate to accept cryptocurrency donations during the 2024 election. And in accordance with campaign promises, some of Trump’s first executive orders in his second term focused on deregulation measures of the crypto industry.
Democrats and ethics watchdogs have sounded the alarm over how crypto is becoming a centerpiece of both Trump’s business empire and his administration. Some argue the ventures are potentially opening the door for industry players and foreign actors to try and influence the president’s policies on crypto and more. Others have blasted the fact that the Trump-linked crypto companies are enriching the president while he’s in office.
“Just because the corruption is playing out in public, where everyone can see it, doesn’t mean that it isn’t rampant, rapacious corruption,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, ahead of the memecoin dinner last week.
The memecoin dinner was perhaps the most blatant illustration of the intermingling of Trump’s public office and private gain. Trump hosted the dinner at his golf club in Virginia, where he addressed the top 220 holders of his personalized crypto token, a so-called memecoin named $TRUMP.
While dozens of protesters shouted “shame” from outside and held signs that said “Don the Con” and “No Kings,” the dinner’s attendees included crypto traders, former NBA star Lamar Odom and Chinese-born billionaire Justin Sun, who is an adviser to another Trump-linked crypto venture and who was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2023 for fraud. The case was put on pause earlier this year by Trump’s SEC. A number of individuals from outside the United States were also reported in attendance.
Before speaking at the bitcoin conference, Vance on Tuesday headlined a $1 million-a-head fundraiser in Las Vegas for MAGA Inc., a Trump-aligned super PAC, according to two people familiar with the event granted anonymity to discuss his schedule. The vice president’s close orbit is full of some of crypto’s biggest advocates, including Donald Trump Jr. and Christopher Buskirk, who are opening a new members-only club in Washington for the MAGA elite that counts Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss — crypto billionaire brothers who Vance called out by name at the conference — among its founding members.
During his remarks on Wednesday, Vance promised that “loud and clear, with President Trump, crypto finally has a champion and an ally in the White House.”
“We prioritize eliminating the rules, the red tape and the lawfare that we saw aimed at crypto by our predecessors,” Vance said. “We’re ending the weaponization of federal regulations against this community.”
Vance last year disclosed owning over $250,000 in Bitcoin and said Wednesday he still owns “a fair amount.” A spokesperson for Vance declined to comment on if the vice president still manages those assets.
The vice president’s appearance at the crypto industry conference this week sent another message: Cryptocurrency is in a bull market as long as Trump is in office.
“This conference, this movement of people, is where the future of cryptocurrency in this great country gets decided,” Vance said. “So let’s start by making one thing abundantly clear: that future is going to be decided by the people, by you, not by unelected bureaucrats.”

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#EthicsInCrypto
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize the cryptocurrency trading landscape, it brings with it a host of ethical considerations that demand our attention. This article explores the complex interplay between AI-powered trading systems and market integrity, examining the potential benefits and risks while proposing strategies to ensure responsible innovation in this rapidly evolving field.
The Rise of AI in Crypto Trading
AI-powered trading systems have become increasingly prevalent in cryptocurrency markets, offering unprecedented speed, efficiency, and analytical capabilities. These sophisticated algorithms can process vast amounts of data, identify complex patterns, and execute trades in milliseconds, far outpacing human traders.
Key Advantages of AI Trading Systems:
Real-time market analysis
High-frequency trading capabilities
Emotionless decision-making
24/7 market monitoring
Advanced risk management
While these advantages have the potential to enhance market efficiency and liquidity, they also raise significant ethical concerns that must be addressed to maintain market integrity and fairness.
Ethical Challenges in AI-Powered Crypto Trading
1.Market Manipulation and Unfair Advantages
One of the primary ethical concerns surrounding AI-powered trading is the potential for market manipulation. High-frequency trading algorithms can exploit microsecond price differences across exchanges, a practice known as arbitrage. While arbitrage can help stabilize prices and improve liquidity, it also raises questions about fairness and equal access to market opportunities.
According to a recent study by CoinMetro, practices such as spoofing – where traders place fake orders to manipulate asset prices – can disrupt market fairness and integrity. Ensuring that AI systems comply with regulatory standards and ethical guidelines is crucial to prevent such activities.
2.Transparency and Explainability
The "black box" nature of many AI algorithms poses a significant challenge to transparency in financial markets. As these systems become more complex, it becomes increasingly difficult for humans to understand and explain their decision-making processes.
Ethical considerations in AI trading include transparency, accountability, and fairness. Transparency requires disclosing how AI systems make trading decisions, ensuring traders understand the underlying logic and data. This level of transparency is essential for maintaining trust in the market and allowing for proper oversight.
3.Data Privacy and Security
AI trading systems rely on vast amounts of data to make informed decisions. This raises concerns about data privacy and security, particularly in the cryptocurrency space where anonymity and decentralization are valued. Ensuring that personal and financial data is protected from breaches and misuse is paramount.
4.Algorithmic Bias
AI systems are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on. If historical trading data reflects existing biases within the financial system, AI algorithms may inadvertently perpetuate or even amplify these biases. For example, if training data primarily reflects the trading decisions of male traders, the AI might favor strategies that disadvantage female traders.
5.Market Volatility and Systemic Risks
The widespread adoption of similar AI trading strategies could potentially increase market volatility and introduce new systemic risks. If multiple AI systems react to the same market signals simultaneously, it could lead to flash crashes or other market disruptions.
Balancing Innovation and Market Integrity
To harness the benefits of AI-powered trading while mitigating ethical risks, a multi-faceted approach is necessary:
1.Regulatory Frameworks and Compliance
Developing comprehensive regulatory frameworks specifically tailored to AI-powered crypto trading is essential. These frameworks should address issues such as:
Algorithmic transparency requirements
Data protection and privacy standards
Anti-manipulation measures
Stress testing and risk assessment protocols
AI trading systems must adhere to existing and future regulations. Staying informed about legal changes and implementing necessary safeguards can help avoid compliance issues.
2.Ethical Guidelines and Best Practices
The crypto industry should collaborate to establish ethical guidelines and best practices for AI-powered trading. These guidelines could include:
Principles for responsible AI development
Standards for algorithmic fairness and bias mitigation
Transparency requirements for AI decision-making processes
Ethical considerations in data collection and usage
3.Human Oversight and Accountability
While AI systems can process information and execute trades at incredible speeds, human oversight remains crucial. Implementing robust monitoring systems and human intervention protocols can help prevent unintended consequences and ensure accountability.
A synergistic relationship between humans and AI is crucial3. Bots should enhance human traders' capabilities by offering insights and executing trades within user-defined limits. This collaborative approach guarantees that humans maintain authority over AI development and deployment, aligning with ethical and regulatory guidelines.
4.Education and Awareness
Educating market participants, regulators, and the public about the capabilities and limitations of AI-powered trading systems is essential. This knowledge will help stakeholders make informed decisions and contribute to the development of ethical AI practices.
5.Continuous Research and Development
As the market adapts to AI strategies, continuous innovation and development of new strategies are essential. Ongoing research helps maintain the effectiveness and ethical standards of AI systems, ensuring they remain competitive and trustworthy.
Real-World Applications and Case Studies
To illustrate the practical implications of ethical AI in crypto trading, let's examine some real-world applications:
1.Arbitrage and Price Equalization
AI agents are being used to exploit arbitrage opportunities across exchanges, helping to stabilize prices and improve liquidity. For example, if Ethereum's price on Exchange A is $1,800 and $1,820 on Exchange B, AI bots can quickly identify this discrepancy and execute trades to equalize prices.
While this can lead to more efficient markets, it also raises questions about fairness and equal access to these opportunities.
2.Liquidity Provision
AI-powered liquidity providers are helping to solve challenges in crypto markets by:
Making real-time market adjustments
Optimizing decentralized liquidity pools
Using predictive analytics to position liquidity where it's needed
These innovations can lead to more stable and efficient markets, but they also require careful oversight to prevent manipulation and ensure fair access.
3.Risk Management and Fraud Detection
AI systems are being employed to enhance risk management and detect fraudulent activities in crypto markets. By analyzing patterns and anomalies in trading behavior, these systems can help identify potential market manipulation or illegal activities.
However, the effectiveness of these systems depends on the quality and diversity of the data they are trained on, highlighting the importance of addressing algorithmic bias.
The Future of Ethical AI in Crypto Trading
As AI technology continues to advance, we can expect even more sophisticated trading systems to emerge. The key to ensuring these innovations benefit the entire market lies in striking the right balance between innovation and ethical considerations.
Emerging Trends:
Explainable AI: Future AI models may offer more transparent decision-making processes, allowing traders and regulators to better understand and trust AI-generated insights.
Decentralized AI: The development of decentralized AI systems, aligned with the ethos of cryptocurrencies, could offer new solutions for transparent and fair AI-driven trading.
Quantum Computing Integration: The potential integration of quantum computing could dramatically enhance AI's processing capabilities, enabling even more complex analyses and faster decision-making.
Regulatory Technology (RegTech): AI-powered regulatory compliance tools may emerge to help trading platforms and individual traders navigate the complex regulatory landscape more effectively.
Embracing Ethical AI for a Sustainable Crypto Future
The integration of AI in cryptocurrency trading represents a powerful convergence of cutting-edge technologies. While AI offers unprecedented opportunities for efficiency and innovation in crypto trading, it also brings significant ethical challenges that must be carefully navigated.
By prioritizing transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI development and deployment, the cryptocurrency industry can harness the full potential of artificial intelligence while upholding the principles of market integrity and financial inclusion that are at the heart of the crypto revolution.
As we move forward, the ongoing dialogue between technologists, ethicists, regulators, and market participants will be crucial in shaping an ethical framework for AI in cryptocurrency trading. By addressing these ethical considerations head-on, we can create a more robust, fair, and efficient digital asset ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders.
The future of cryptocurrency trading lies not just in the power of AI algorithms, but in our ability to wield this technology responsibly and ethically. As we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in digital finance, let us ensure that our technological progress is always guided by a strong moral compass, balancing innovation with market integrity for the benefit of all.

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#EthicsInCrypto

Donald Trump, current President of the United States, is preparing to welcome the main investors of the cryptocurrency that bears his name, $TRUMP, at an exclusive gala dinner that has already raised a wave of controversy.
The event, scheduled for Thursday at one of his golf courses near the capital, has been described as “the most exclusive invitation in the world” on the site gettrumpmemes.com.
A dinner of luxury and controversies: Trump at the center of attention
The dinner, defined as “black-tie optional”, will see the participation of the first 220 buyers of the meme coin $TRUMP, selected through a public ranking.
Among the expected guests is Justin Sun, billionaire and entrepreneur in the cryptocurrency sector, known for being accused of fraud and market manipulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during the Biden administration.
However, the procedure was suspended in February under the new Trump administration.
Sun has confirmed his presence at the event, calling himself the “TOP fan” of the president on X, the social platform previously known as Twitter. The $TRUMP is a meme coin, a type of cryptocurrency inspired by memes and viral trends online.
Launched shortly before Trump’s inauguration in January, the currency initially saw a surge in value, reaching a peak of 75 dollars, before crashing below 8 dollars in April. At the time of writing, its value hovers around 12.50 dollars.
However, many experts question the usefulness of this type of asset. Rob Hadick, general partner of the venture capital fund Dragonfly, stated: “It does not have an evident utility. It is not used for payments nor as a store of value.”
The dinner has attracted the attention of several political figures, including Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who described the initiative as “fundamentally corrupt” and a way to “buy access to the President”.
Concerns also extend to national security, as many of the invitees would be foreign investors.
During a Senate hearing, Murphy questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the lack of transparency regarding the guests of the event:
“It is evident that there is a way to bypass the State Department and allow influential and wealthy foreign individuals to lobby directly with the President of the United States.”
Rubio replied that he was not aware of the dinner, adding: “I do not believe that a dinner can compromise the security of the United States.”

The response of the White House
The White House has rejected the accusations of conflict of interest. The spokesperson Anna Kelly stated that the President “works to secure GOOD deals for the American people, not for himself.”
An official from the administration also clarified that the meme coin has no connection with the White House.
However, a former financial regulator, Timothy Massad, now director of the Digital Asset Policy Project at Harvard, compared the $TRUMP to a form of betting:
“It’s like selling memberships for a personal fan club that are then traded. They have no intrinsic value, but the price speculation enriches Trump.”
The change in Trump’s position on cryptocurrencies has been radical. In 2021, he described Bitcoin as a “scam.” Today, he is not only responsible for the regulation of the sector in the United States, but he is also a direct player in the market.
In addition to the meme coin, the Trump family holds a majority stake in World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency exchange platform launched shortly before the 2024 elections.
During the election campaign, Trump described himself as the first “Crypto President” and received substantial contributions from the crypto sector.
Under his presidency, many cryptocurrencies have seen a surge in value. On Thursday, Bitcoin reached a new all-time high, nearing 112,000 dollars per unit.

A growing heritage
According to a report by the group State Democracy Defenders Action, Trump’s investments in the cryptocurrency sector have increased his net worth to 2.9 billion dollars.
The document highlights how the President could directly profit from the policies he is promoting.
Only three days after the start of his term, Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a regulatory framework aimed at promoting the growth of digital currencies.
On Thursday afternoon, Murphy and other Democratic members of Congress announced a live streaming protest against the dinner.
The group asked Trump to make the list of invitees public and to clarify what favors they might receive in exchange for the millions invested in the meme coin.
“The Members will ask Trump to reveal the names of the participants at the dinner and what advantages they will receive for the millions of dollars invested in his cryptocurrency,” reads the statement.
The event on Thursday represents a turning point in the relationship between politics and cryptocurrencies. While Trump continues to promote his image as an innovative leader close to the digital world, the criticisms on ethics, transparency, and personal interests show no signs of abating.
With the cryptocurrency market constantly evolving and a President directly involved, the United States finds itself at a crossroads: promote innovation or strengthen controls to prevent politics from becoming a vehicle for personal enrichment.

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#EthicsInCrypto
President Donald Trump has reported $57.4 million in income from World Liberty Financial, his cryptocurrency venture backed by sons Donald Jr. and Eric Trump.
According to the Financial Times, citing a 200-page filing, the U.S. Office of Government Ethics discloses that one of Trump’s largest revenue sources among hundreds of financial interests is his crypto venture.
The filing shows Trump holds 15.75 billion governance tokens in World Liberty Financial. Instead of a direct investment, the tokens were obtained through his promotional activities on the network.
The report also shows that Trump holds positions in holding companies linked to digital ventures, such as CIC Digital LLC and CIC Ventures LLC, though these entities reported little to no income.
The document includes Trump’s certification that the information provided is “true, complete, and correct to the best of [his] knowledge,” and is subject to review by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
Earlier this year, Trump removed David Huitema as director of the Office of Government Ethics, an independent agency responsible for overseeing ethics rules and financial disclosures for the executive branch.
Trump’s crypto fortune fuels conflict-of-interest concerns
According to 2024 SEC filings, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, was a “promoter” of the World Liberty Financial initiative. The venture operates as a decentralized finance platform offering cryptocurrency lending and trading services.
Since it launched last year, World Liberty Financial sold 21 billion tokens in a public offering, generating $1 billion in funding.
Trump’s involvement appears legal on the surface, but Democrats and some Republicans have flagged Trump’s willingness to profit while in office as a conflict of interest —particularly since the president holds substantial crypto stakes while influencing policy.
SEC Chair Paul Atkins has dropped several high-profile enforcement cases against cryptocurrency companies since taking office. This has created a more favorable regulatory environment for the industry, one in which Trump has seemingly granted investors access to the executive branch if they’re Official Trump
owners.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top House Democrat, recently opened a probe into the private dinner Trump hosted for top investors in his meme coin.
In addition to World Liberty Financial, Trump Media & Technology Group declared its intention to raise $2.5 billion for a “bitcoin treasury” strategy and to introduce a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund.

Major investor backs Trump crypto ventures
DRW Investments, controlled by Chicago trader Don Wilson, invested $100 million in Trump Media just nine weeks after Cumberland, Wilson’s crypto liquidity provider, received SEC enforcement relief.
Cumberland won dismissal of a civil complaint alleging unregistered securities dealer violations in March. Prior to the SEC dropping charges under the new leadership, the Biden administration had pursued the matter.
DRW’s investment makes it among the largest financiers of Trump Media’s cryptocurrency expansion plans. The funding supports the company’s ambitions to acquire over $2 billion in cryptocurrency holdings and establish bitcoin treasury operations.

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#Onchain
#EthicsInCrypto
The idea of on-chain identity is intriguing. It suggests a vision of the internet in which people are in control of their own data, masters of their digital lives, and can participate in online society with confidence.
With an era in which our lives are increasingly digital, identity itself is also changing. Online social accounts, cellular wallets, virtual identities, and internet browsing histories all are becoming part of the fabric of who we are. With the development of blockchain technology comes, too, the idea of on-chain identity—a new definition and jurisdiction over our own information in the digital world.
Simply put, an on-chain identity is a virtual representation of yourself, kept and updated on a blockchain. It could be your credentials, transaction history, reputation, and other pieces of data that represent you online. The biggest allure of this method is control—placing the authority for your digital selves in users' control instead of in the hands of big companies or platforms.
But as with all such strong technology, it also creates questions of ethics. Who really owns your identity when you leave it on a public blockchain? Suppose it gets misused? How do we ensure transparency and also maintain privacy? These are issues that we must consider very seriously.
Digital Identity and Personal Control
Historically, our online identities are controlled by centralized websites. When you create a login on a website, that website retains and processes your information. You click through terms and conditions which nobody reads, and your data is collected, analyzed, and sometimes sold—often without you knowing or consenting to it.

social
Representational ImageRepresentational Image
With an era in which our lives are increasingly digital, identity itself is also changing. Online social accounts, cellular wallets, virtual identities, and internet browsing histories all are becoming part of the fabric of who we are. With the development of blockchain technology comes, too, the idea of on-chain identity—a new definition and jurisdiction over our own information in the digital world.
Simply put, an on-chain identity is a virtual representation of yourself, kept and updated on a blockchain. It could be your credentials, transaction history, reputation, and other pieces of data that represent you online. The biggest allure of this method is control—placing the authority for your digital selves in users' control instead of in the hands of big companies or platforms.
But as with all such strong technology, it also creates questions of ethics. Who really owns your identity when you leave it on a public blockchain? Suppose it gets misused? How do we ensure transparency and also maintain privacy? These are issues that we must consider very seriously.
Digital Identity and Personal Control
Historically, our online identities are controlled by centralized websites. When you create a login on a website, that website retains and processes your information. You click through terms and conditions which nobody reads, and your data is collected, analyzed, and sometimes sold—often without you knowing or consenting to it.
With blockchain, we want to flip that around. Instead of the companies holding your data, you can hold your own data in your own digital wallet. You control who gets to view it and when. This shift gives people more power over their own private information.
This concept of self-sovereign identity, where the user controls and manages their own digital identity separate from a central authority, is what's exciting about on-chain identity. But with that choice comes the duty to do it securely, and not everybody may be prepared to have control over their online existence.
The Transparency Dilemma
One of the characteristics that differentiate blockchain is the fact that it is open. This simply means that any interaction and transactions, once recorded in the ledger, cannot be altered and are accessible to everyone. While this creates responsibility and trust, privacy becomes a concern.
If certain things about who you are—your employment history, education diplomas, or reputation among your peers—are put on the blockchain, who gets to see? Can it be turned against you? And how much control do you actually have once something is in a permanent, public database?
They are a tricky balancing act. On the one hand, the openness of blockchain enables an open and trusted digital space. But on the other, too much visibility could be incompatible with sensitive personal information.
Consent and Digital Ethics
Another such fundamental issue is the digital consent ethics. In the offline world, consent normally involves one giving explicit consent prior to any personal data being shared. In the digital environment, especially in blockchain, it becomes tricky.
Information put on the blockchain cannot be altered or removed. Therefore, the question is what to do with mistakes, or how to respect a human's choice if they later decide that they want to withdraw consent. Ethical blockchain system design requires provisions to enable individuals to be able to clearly provide or withdraw consent for the utilisation of their identity, with the chain's integrity still being guaranteed.
The other issue is educated participation. Most people are not entirely aware of what it would be like to have their identity on-chain. Absent clear education and awareness, people will make inadvertent decisions that could result in long-term consequences for their privacy and reputation.

Digital Ownership: A Human Right?
As the virtual world becomes more and more a part of our everyday lives, the question of digital ownership is no longer a technicality, but one of human rights. Should all individuals be able to claim their own digital identity as their own? Do laws protect individuals from being abused or manipulated using digital identity?
In a way, on-chain identity gives people more power than they've ever had. With the power, however, comes the need for ethical frameworks safeguarding the individual, ensuring equity, and preventing harm. Governments, developers, and communities will need to get together to create standards that maximize innovation and respect human dignity.
We need also to consider those who would potentially be left behind. Not everybody has the same ease of access to the digital instruments or literacy necessary to govern an on-chain identity. If the future of identity is made too technical or exclusive, it may generate new forms of inequality.
Conclusion
The idea of on-chain identity is intriguing. It suggests a vision of the internet in which people are in control of their own data, masters of their digital lives, and can participate in online society with confidence. But it also poses fundamental ethical questions which need to be addressed with care.
Who makes the decisions about how identity is used? How can we maintain privacy and foster trust? Can we create an online world that is as respectful of human rights as it is of innovation?
These are not expert questions or developer questions. These are questions for us all. As digital ownership comes into our world, we must ensure it evolves into something that is fair, open, and deeply human.

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