Fine, if you live in a non-democratic country with no or an unreliable banking system, go nuts with the blockchain.

I get the feeling that 99% of blockchain users/proponents aren't in that circumstance.

You are probably right. But they help the other 1% by using crypto.

But it still doesn't protect the other 1%. An oppresive regime that can steal their money or other physical assets, can also beat, pressure them until they hand over access to their crypto wallet.

There are always edge cases, where nothing helps. Fortunately, most countries are not like North Korea and you have some freedom, often enough to use crypto.

Not sure why downvotes. If only 1% of people who need it use Bitcoin, it becomes unreliable for them.

… and if you live an abusive or failed state, the blockchain encryption just means that the kidnappers will start running XKCD 538 on you or your family until you give them your password. This is not a problem with a technical solution.

Consider also the scale: what percentage of cryptocurrency users live in regimes like that versus the percentage who have functioning courts but are one exploit/phish away from irrecoverably losing all of their cryptocurrency?

> … and if you live an abusive or failed state, the blockchain encryption just means that the kidnappers will start running XKCD 538 on you or your family

You assume that from the blockchain kidnappers can find out who I am. I don't think they can, unless I exchange crypto with them.

>Consider also the scale: what percentage of cryptocurrency users live in regimes like that versus the percentage who have functioning courts but are one exploit/phish away from irrecoverably losing all of their cryptocurrency?

People always make mistakes. Do you suggest to prohibit every possible action which might lead to bad consequences? Do you suggest to damage people in need in order to save those living with good conditions?

They can tell you have money by your activity. If they grab your devices, they know you have the apps. If you do anything on a public blockchain like win a bid for an NFT, that’s also a clue.

Sure, if you live like a monk and never talk about it, you can probably avoid attention but there are plenty of people who thought they could do that successfully up until they didn’t. Again, it’s not a problem with a technical fix.

Not kidnappers. Officers from the oppressive regime. Unfortunately we have examples of regimes demanding access to personal devices - including forced installation of applications, rooting phones and installing backdoors.