In a conference full of blockchain optimism, actor-turned-anti-crypto-writer Ben McKenzie’s panel on crypto skepticism was a grounding reminder of the current realities of cryptocurrency and NFTs.
McKenzie has received a lot of attention for becoming a vocal critic of cryptocurrency, an anomaly among the rising number of celebrities shilling new coins and NFTs. In a featured session, held Sunday and streamed online Monday, McKenzie and journalists Jacob Silverman (with whom he is writing a new book about crypto and fraud) and Edward Ongweso Jr. discussed the lack of regulation and inflation of value in crypto.
This weekend, many Web3 evangelists have preached about the potential the blockchain has to democratize the internet, make it more equitable, and allow people to accumulate massive wealth through new digital currencies. Many panels, including the most promising one we’ve covered, propose the idea that crypto and NFTs can help build wealth for people who are often left out of traditional banking. With all the hype surrounding the blockchain, it’s…
