Countries with restrictions on Cryptocurrencies due to money laundering concerns
Many countries have imposed restrictions or partial bans on the use of cryptocurrencies precisely due to the risk of money laundering. Here are several relevant examples: 1. China Completely prohibited cryptocurrency transactions in 2021. One of the main reasons was money laundering and capital flight. 2. India There is no total ban, but the government has imposed very high taxes and strongly regulates crypto platforms. There is serious concern about money laundering through crypto assets.
Yes, money laundering directly affects the world of cryptocurrencies.
Let me explain: cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others, offer some characteristics that can be exploited for laundering illicit money:
Pseudonymity: You do not need to use your real name in many transactions.
Fast and global transactions: You can move funds across borders almost instantly.
Difficulty in tracking: Although blockchains are public, identifying the real owner of a wallet is not always straightforward.
This has led people involved in illegal activities (such as drug trafficking, corruption, or cybercrimes) to use cryptocurrencies to "clean" their money, that is, to hide its illicit origin and make it appear legal.
For this reason, many countries have started to demand:
Regulation of exchanges (platforms for buying/selling cryptocurrencies).
KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) procedures.
Monitoring of suspicious operations.
In summary: cryptocurrencies are not bad in themselves, but their misuse in money laundering is a significant challenge for financial regulators today.
The story of Kristoffer Koch: The Norwegian who forgot he had Bitcoin
In 2009, Kristoffer Koch, an engineering student in Norway, was researching cryptography for his thesis when he came across something new called Bitcoin. Out of curiosity —and almost as an academic experiment— he decided to buy 5,000 bitcoins for about $27 dollars.
After making the purchase, he stored the coins in his digital wallet and… completely forgot!
Four years later, in 2013, he heard in the news that Bitcoin had risen in price and remembered his purchase. He searched for his wallet, managed to recover the password, and discovered that his 5,000 bitcoins were now worth around $900,000 dollars.
With that money, Kristoffer bought an apartment in Oslo, something unthinkable for someone so young at that time. The most curious thing is that, if he had waited a few more years, that same amount of bitcoins would have been worth over $300 million at the peak in 2021.
The story of Santiago Siri: From developer to crypto reference in Latin America
Santiago Siri is an Argentine developer and entrepreneur who has been involved in the tech world since a young age. In the early 2010s, while working on projects related to digital politics, he discovered the potential of Bitcoin and began buying small amounts when it was worth less than $100.
Siri not only invested but also became an active promoter of cryptocurrency use, especially in countries with unstable economies like Argentina. Over time, he not only benefited from the appreciation of Bitcoin's price but also co-founded the Democracy Earth Foundation, an organization that promotes digital democracy through blockchain technology.
In parallel, he made early investments in Ethereum and participated in DeFi (decentralized finance) projects, which multiplied his wealth during the golden age of crypto (2017–2021).
Today, Santiago Siri is considered a crypto millionaire, not only for the value of his assets but also for his influence on the adoption and development of new decentralized technologies. #HistoriaDelDinero
A real and surprising story of someone who became a millionaire with cryptocurrencies:
The story of Erik Finman: The teenager who became a millionaire with Bitcoin
Erik Finman was an ordinary teenager in Idaho, USA, who did not enjoy school. At the age of 12, in 2011, he received a gift from his grandmother: $1,000. Instead of spending it on something typical for his age, he invested it in Bitcoin, which at that time was worth around $12 per unit.
Erik researched cryptocurrencies, convinced that this technology would revolutionize the future. By 2013, when he was 15 years old, he sold some of his bitcoins when the price rose to $1,200, earning over $100,000. With that, he founded an online educational company called Botangle, which he later sold… for 300 bitcoins!
When Bitcoin surpassed $3,000 in 2017, Erik already had over 400 bitcoins, making him a millionaire before turning 18.
Since then, he has been a public figure in the crypto world, giving talks, participating in media, and advocating for the decentralizing potential of cryptocurrencies. #HistoriaDelDinero
Worldcoin is a cryptocurrency launched by Sam Altman (one of the co-founders of OpenAI) and his team. Here is a balanced opinion:
Advantages of Worldcoin:
1. Unique digital identity (World ID): It seeks to solve the identity problem in the digital world with a system that verifies you are human without revealing your real identity.
2. Global and inclusive vision: It promotes financial inclusion, especially in regions where many people do not have access to banking services.
3. Fair distribution: It gives away tokens to those who verify their identity through iris scanning with the “Orb,” which aims to be a fair way to distribute the cryptocurrency.
Controversies and risks:
1. Privacy and iris scanning: Although they promise not to store biometric images, there are concerns about how that information is handled and stored.
2. Distrust in regions of the world: It has been banned or questioned in several countries due to its invasive approach and lack of transparency.
3. Volatility of the token (WLD): Like any cryptocurrency, its value can fluctuate greatly, making it risky for investment or daily use.
In summary:
Worldcoin is an ambitious idea that combines cryptography, blockchain, and digital identity, but it faces legitimate criticisms regarding privacy and ethics. If you are interested in participating or investing, it is crucial to research thoroughly and consider both the benefits and risks.
Perfect, with Venezuela in mind, here is a more concrete recommendation considering its economic, social and technological context:
1. Stablecoins (like USDT or USDC) – The most practical
Reason: In a country with hyperinflation like Venezuela, people need to preserve the value of their money. Stablecoins pegged to the dollar (like Tether – USDT or USD Coin – USDC) allow for this without having to use cash or traditional banks.
Ideal uses:
Payment of salaries.
Digital commerce (freelancers, online stores).
Remittances from abroad.
Savings without the risk of immediate devaluation.
2. Bitcoin (BTC) – Long-term store of value
Advantage: It is a “digital gold.” In Venezuela, where the bolívar devalues quickly, Bitcoin is useful as a long-term store of value.
Disadvantage: It is not practical for small transactions due to its fees and slowness.
3. Ethereum and its ecosystem (ETH, DAI) – Infrastructure for projects
DAI is a decentralized stablecoin (more resistant to censorship than USDT).
Ethereum can be used to:
Create decentralized applications (DeFi, education, digital identity).
Manage contracts (for example, labor agreements, automatic payments).
Venezuela has an active community of developers and can leverage Ethereum to foster innovation.
4. Stellar (XLM) or Celo (CELO) – Financial inclusion
Designed for developing countries and to facilitate transfers with low fees.
Celo allows payments with a phone number, ideal for areas with little access to banking.
My proposal for Venezuela:
Short term: Promote the use of USDT/USDC/DAI for remittances, savings, and payments. Medium term: Support the local development of apps on Ethereum or Celo for public and financial services. Long term: Encourage the adoption of Bitcoin as a store of value, especially among entrepreneurs and freelancers.
Good question. Choosing an ideal cryptocurrency for a developing country depends on several factors such as economic stability, digital infrastructure, regulatory policies, and social needs. Here’s a list of the best candidates and why they could be useful:
1. Bitcoin (BTC)
Advantages: Globally recognized, high liquidity, decentralized.
Ideal for: Protecting against inflation in unstable economies or with weak local currencies (like Venezuela or Zimbabwe).
Disadvantage: High transaction costs and relatively low speed.
2. Ethereum (ETH)
Advantages: Supports smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps).
Ideal for: Countries looking to create decentralized financial systems or digital identity solutions.
Disadvantage: Gas fees can be high during times of high demand.
3. Stellar (XLM)
Advantages: Fast, cheap, and designed to facilitate cross-border payments.
Ideal for: Remittances, financial inclusion, central banks looking to tokenize their currencies.
Disadvantage: Not as well-known or adopted as Bitcoin or Ethereum.
4. Cardano (ADA)
Advantages: Academic focus and in developing countries (like Ethiopia).
Ideal for: Government projects (education, records), digital identity.
Disadvantage: Ecosystem still expanding.
5. Stablecoins (like USDT, USDC, or DAI)
Advantages: Stable against the dollar, useful for payments and savings without the volatility of BTC or ETH.
Disadvantage: Centralization (in the case of USDT and USDC).
Conclusion: For a developing country, a combination of stablecoins for stability and currencies like Stellar or Cardano for financial inclusion and digital infrastructure development may be the best option. It depends on the goal: to protect against inflation, attract investment, or develop more efficient public services?
The world of two perspectives on cryptocurrencies as the official currency
1. UTOPIAN World with cryptocurrencies as the official currency
It is the year 2045. All transactions in the world are made with cryptocurrencies. Humanity has adopted a global economic system based on blockchain: transparent, fair, and free of corruption.
Every citizen has a secure digital identity. There is no need for banks: payments, loans, contracts, and even voting are done with smart contracts.
Governments do not print money; instead, they manage stablecoins backed by real resources and democratic algorithms.
If cryptocurrencies were the official currency of the world, there would be many profound changes in the economy, politics, and daily life. Here is a general overview of what that world might look like:
1. More decentralized finance
Traditional banks would lose power, as many functions (such as transfers, loans, or investments) would be done directly between people through decentralized platforms (DeFi).
Governments would have less control over the issuance of money and interest rates.
2. Instant global payments
International transactions would be faster and cheaper, without the need for intermediaries like SWIFT.
This would facilitate international trade and the financial inclusion of people without access to traditional banking.
3. Greater privacy (but with nuances)
Some cryptos like Monero or Zcash allow for anonymous transactions, which would provide more privacy to users.
But it could also complicate the fight against money laundering and illegal financing.
4. High volatility and risk
Many cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile. If they were the official currency, there would be significant risks of sudden inflation or deflation.
Economic stability would be a major challenge, unless stablecoins (cryptocurrencies tied to stable currencies like the dollar) were used.
5. New forms of governance and work
With the use of smart contracts, governments could automate subsidies, tax payments, and regulations.
Jobs related to blockchain (developers, auditors, analysts) would become much more common.
6. Technological inequality
People without internet access or digital skills would be excluded from the economic system.
Digital fraud could also increase if the ecosystem is not well regulated.
Mass liquidations: Abrupt declines can lead to forced liquidations of leveraged positions in futures markets, as recently occurred with losses of approximately 400 million USD .
Impact on market confidence: Significant fluctuations can affect investor confidence, especially among those with lower risk tolerance, which could lead to a decrease in investment in cryptocurrencies.
Effect on other cryptocurrencies: Since many altcoins follow Bitcoin's trend, a drop in its price can drag the rest of the market down, amplifying losses.
In summary, fluctuations in Bitcoin's price have a significant impact on both the cryptocurrency market and investor perception, making it crucial to monitor these movements to make informed decisions.
As of April 21, 2025, tensions between the United States and China have escalated significantly, encompassing trade, military, and geopolitical domains. Here's an overview of the current situation:
Trade and Economic Developments
Tariff Escalation: The U.S. has increased tariffs on Chinese goods from 54% to 145%, prompting China to retaliate with 125% duties on U.S. imports.
Many people think they can get rich just with airdrops (or similar things) without investing anything because:
1. Hope for a "lucky break": They dream of finding a case like someone who received an airdrop worth hundreds or thousands of dollars without doing much, like what happened with tokens like $UNI or $ARB.
2. "Easy money" mentality: The idea of making money without risk or effort is very appealing, especially on social media where those success stories are promoted as if they were common.
3. Distrust in investing: Some are afraid of losing money or do not understand how investments work, so they prefer "free" options.
4. Misinformation: Many do not know that, although airdrops can be useful, they almost always require time, consistency, and, in some cases, some capital (even if it's little) to qualify.
In summary: yes, you can earn something with airdrops, but getting rich just from that is extremely rare. Most of the time, those who really earn well combine airdrops with investment, analysis, and active participation in communities. Are you involved in the crypto world or are you just interested in the topic? #Elmundoencontexto
Developed countries want to regulate (and even in some cases restrict or prohibit) the use of cryptocurrencies for several key reasons, both economic and political and security-related. Here are the main ones:
1. Loss of economic control
Governments and central banks lose power when cryptocurrencies replace traditional fiat money (such as the dollar, euro, etc.). This includes:
Control over monetary policy (inflation, interest rates, etc.)
Supervision of capital flows
Ability to impose economic sanctions
2. Risks to financial stability
Cryptocurrencies, due to their high volatility, can cause imbalances if used massively as a means of payment or savings. Additionally, many people may lose money due to lack of regulation or scams.
3. Money laundering and financial crimes
Some cryptocurrencies allow anonymous or hard-to-trace transactions. This makes them attractive for:
Money laundering
Terrorism financing
Tax evasion
4. Competition against state digital currencies
Many developed countries are developing their own digital currencies (such as the digital euro or digital yuan). Private cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or stablecoins (like USDT) represent direct competition that could limit the adoption of official digital currencies.
5. Consumer protection
There are many risks in the crypto ecosystem: scams, exchanges that go bankrupt, tokens without real backing, etc. Governments want to establish rules to protect less informed users.
In summary, it is not just a matter of stifling innovation but of maintaining control over their economy and protecting the financial system. That said, most developed countries do not want to eliminate cryptocurrencies completely, but rather integrate them under a regulated framework. #PaisesqueprohibensuUso
Las Criptomonedas en el ámbito geopolítico y países en desarrollo
las Criptomonedas como herramienta geopolítica Reto al dólar estadounidense El dólar es la moneda de reserva mundial. Esto le da a EE.UU. un poder enorme: puede imprimir dinero sin devaluarse como lo haría otro país, y usar el sistema SWIFT para imponer sanciones. Las criptomonedas, especialmente Bitcoin, ofrecen una alternativa que no pasa por los bancos centrales ni redes controladas por EE.UU. Ejemplo real: Rusia e Irán están explorando el uso de cripto para el comercio exterior y saltarse sa
Cryptocurrencies can save the global economy without American scams
Cryptocurrencies, in theory, have the potential to offer an alternative to the traditional financial system, which has historically been dominated by major powers like the U.S. Here are some key ideas on how they could 'save' the global economy — and also their limitations: How could cryptocurrencies help? 1. Decentralization: They are not controlled by any government or central bank, which prevents monetary manipulations, such as the mass printing of money.
People tend to be swayed by false articles about cryptocurrency investments for various psychological and social reasons.
1. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): The fear of missing out on a great opportunity causes many to act impulsively, without doing proper research.
2. Promises of easy money: False articles often promise quick and effortless profits, which is very appealing, especially to people facing financial difficulties.
3. Misinformation: Many people do not fully understand how cryptocurrencies work, making them vulnerable to well-disguised scams.
4. Trust in public figures: Some false articles use images or fabricated quotes from celebrities or famous entrepreneurs (like Elon Musk), giving a false sense of legitimacy.
5. Professional design and manipulation techniques: Scammers make sites look very real and use emotional marketing techniques to rush decisions.
6. Social validation effect: Seeing fake comments or supposed testimonials from other users "making money" can convince someone that it is a real opportunity.
Good question. It's not that people enjoy falling for cryptocurrency scams, but there are several factors that make them vulnerable:
1. Lack of financial education: Many people do not understand how cryptocurrencies work, but they see stories of people getting rich from them, and they want the same.
2. Promises of quick money: Scams often promise extremely high profits in a short time, which is very tempting, especially for those in a difficult financial situation.
3. Technical and confusing language: Scammers use words like "blockchain", "automated trading", or "cloud mining", which sound legitimate but are really just meant to impress.
4. Emotional or social pressure: Sometimes they use tactics like "only a few spots left" or "an influencer has already invested", to rush the victim into acting without thinking.
5. Imitation of real projects: Some scams disguise themselves as well-known projects or even clone legitimate websites.
In 2025, cryptocurrencies have established themselves as an important component of the global economy. They function not only as investment assets but also as tools for fast and low-cost international transfers. Additionally, some economies are integrating central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), reflecting the growing influence of blockchain technology on traditional financial systems. Although challenges such as regulation and volatility persist, cryptocurrencies continue to transform the way money is moved and understood globally. #AprendamosDeCrptomonedas
The Best Way to Invest in Cryptocurrencies in 2025
Cryptocurrencies have transitioned from a technological curiosity to a widely recognized asset class. However, due to their high volatility and the lack of regulation in some countries, investing in them requires information, strategy, and a mindset prepared for risk. Here we present the best way to invest in cryptocurrencies in 2025. 1. Educate Yourself Before Investing The first step is to understand what you are investing in. Learn about: Bitcoin and Ethereum, the most established cryptos.