Part 7/9:
Despite the optimism, several speakers expressed their concerns about the centralization of Bitcoin and its implications. Arguments were made about how the very institutions that should uphold decentralized principles are now being co-opted by existing power structures, leading proponents of traditional Bitcoin to reflect on how power dynamics could mirror those in politics. The idea that “not your keys, not your coins” emerged as a critical principle for maintaining financial sovereignty, with skepticism regarding the long-term sustainability of Bitcoin being tied to third-party custodianship.