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Re:Ask HN: What is the thing you've build you regret the most? by IAmGraydon on Saturday November 19, 2022 @09:23PM (#33677465)
Not trying to be snarky here, but did it surprise you that a system built to obfuscate financial transactions would be used for illegal activities?
Re:Ask HN: What is the thing you've build you regret the most? by jjeaff on Saturday November 19, 2022 @09:32PM (#33677520)
I don't think most crypto is built to obfuscate. It's built to bypass centrally controlled monetary system. With the exception of some specialty crypto created to obfuscate, it's really not nearly as good at hiding transactions as say, cash.
Re:Ask HN: What is the thing you've build you regret the most? by bruce511 on Saturday November 19, 2022 @11:44PM (#33678337)
Technically it might not obvuscate, but practically it does.

Critically (compared to cash) it allows remote transactions. Cash requires presence which limits the customer base geographically, and carries enormous personal risk. (you're already transacting with a criminal, do you want to be alone with him as well?)

The killer app for crypto is illegal activities. (which may in some cases be moral, but nevertheless are illegal.)

As a side note, the volatility in the crypto value, caused mostly my legal speculators being exploited by scammers, hurts the utility of crypto in all contexts, including illegal ones.

Re:Ask HN: What is the thing you've build you regret the most? by fomine3 on Sunday November 20, 2022 @04:36AM (#33679620)
BTC->XMR->BTC
Re:Ask HN: What is the thing you've build you regret the most? by csours on Saturday November 19, 2022 @11:58PM (#33678409)
Illegal !== Immoral
Re:Ask HN: What is the thing you've build you regret the most? by jbirer on Sunday November 20, 2022 @02:34AM (#33679103)
I thought nobody would be stupid enough to try to slang rocks on "clearnet", and also Bitcoin is not built to obfuscate, that's Monero.
Re:Ask HN: What is the thing you've build you regret the most? by derangedHorse on Sunday November 20, 2022 @08:54AM (#33680881)
I wouldn’t care too much about the people who try to “slang rocks”, the “8yo.mp4” is infinitely worse in my eyes.
Re:Ask HN: What is the thing you've build you regret the most? by jbirer on Sunday November 20, 2022 @11:54PM (#33688935)
Pretty much. We laughed off the weed stuff but when we saw the .mp4 stuff we realized it got too far.