[carlivar]

How is legally preventing people from owning dollars different from banning Bitcoin (or gold)? Isn't the latter one of the main risks to Bitcoin?

[bko]

It's not but its a lot easier and safer to hold digital currency than wads of cash in your floorboards. Easier to acquire, receive from abroad and verify as well. It allows for a form of civil disobedience against unjust laws

[caspper69]

Seems to me that an immutable transaction record going back to day 0 would be a very dangerous way to practice civil disobedience under many regimes.

All it takes is to turn one participant, and the threads can be followed to trace the money.

[vintermann]

Is it though? If I hold wads of cash in my floorboards, you need to actually break in and take it.

If I hold something in a digital wallet, I can never be sure I've eliminated all the ways to take it remotely and anonymously.

[bko]

You can print out a seed phrase and hold it under your floorboards as well, or better yet, memorize it. It takes up less space. You can split the phrase up and give it to a few trusted parties. You can do multi-sig. It's easier to transport, etc etc etc

[carlivar]

Various weights of gold or silver are the better comparison versus wads of cash, but your point is taken since I guess the completely digital acquisition is the difference.