16h ago • cryptodaily
“His Excellency” No More: Justin Sun Loses Diplomatic Status $TRO
The founder of the Tron blockchain, Justin Sun, is no longer a diplomat for Grenada. Grenada had recalled all diplomats following the June 2022 election in which the part that granted the title was removed from power.
No Longer A Diplomat For Grenada
According to reports coming from the Grenada Broadcasting Network, Sun’s removal as a diplomat came after the New National Party, which was the part that gave Sun the status, lost the election to the National Democratic Congress. The report stated that all ambassadors assigned by the previous government were recalled during the early months of the new administration. The report from the Grenada Broadcasting Network comes after weeks of intense speculation in the press and social media about Sun losing his credentials. However, Sun has not yet publicly addressed the speculation.
Sun Carries On
Justin Sun was appointed as the ambassador to the World Trade Organization by the government of Grenada in 2021. Since being appointed, Sun has gone out of his way to flout his credentials, styling himself as “His Excellency” on his social media accounts and during media interviews. Sun had been tweeting from his diplomatic Twitter account (@HEjustinsun) as recently as October. He has, so far, given no indication of losing his diplomatic status and still maintains the H.E. on his personal Twitter account.
With Sun’s appointment as Grenada’s ambassador to the WTO, the government of Grenada stated that it expected him to help promote trade, development opportunities, and investment in the country. He was also tasked with supporting the development of infrastructure, human resources, and information and communication technology for the country and conduct himself in a way that enhances Grenada’s image. Neither Sun nor the government of Grenada have commented on the matter so far.
SEC Charges Sun
Soon after losing his diplomatic status, the Tron founder found himself in the crosshairs of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charged Sun with fraud and also accused eight celebrities, including rapper Soulja Boy and actress Lindsay Lohan, of illegally promoting his crypto assets. Sun, along with his companies, the BitTorrent Foundation, Tron Foundation, and Rainberry, were accused of scheming to distribute billions of Tronix (TRX) and BitTorrent (BTT) tokens and artificially inflate their trading volume since 2017. In a statement, the SEC Chair, Gary Gensler stated,
“As alleged in the complaint, Sun and others used an age-old playbook to mislead and harm investors by first offering securities without complying with registration and disclosure requirements and then manipulating the market for those very securities. At the same time, Sun paid celebrities with millions of social media followers to tout the unregistered offerings, while specifically directing that they not disclose their compensation. This is the very conduct that the federal securities laws were designed to protect against regardless of the labels Sun and others used.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission stated that some of those accused with Sun have agreed to pay a total of $400,000 in disgorgement, interest, and penalties to settle charges leveled against them.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
2 days ago • cryptodaily
MakerDAO Constitution Pushes 'Endgame Plan' for $DAI and $MKR
MakerDAO, the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) behind the DAI stablecoin, recently passed a new "constitution" aimed at formalizing its governance process and bolstering decentralization.This constitution is a key component of the "Endgame Plan" designed to transform MakerDAO into a truly decentralized organization, with DAI potentially becoming the world's reserve currency.
The Maker Constitution acknowledges the inherent resilience of decentralized systems like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which have withstood adversarial events and remain uncensorable. However, unlike these systems, the Maker Protocol relies on human decisions made by $MKR token holders, making it more susceptible to weaknesses and vulnerabilities that could lead to the protocol's failure or loss of user funds.To address these risks, the Maker Constitution employs "alignment engineering," a practice that designs mechanisms, incentives, and shared habits to align the interests of the entire ecosystem. The constitution establishes clear definitions and delineations of roles within the governance framework, ensuring transparency and reducing complexity. It also enforces a separation of concerns, discouraging actions that risk taking the DAO towards governance failure.
Recognizing that budgeting, resource allocation, and control over governance privileges are vulnerable aspects of a DAO, the Maker Constitution emphasizes the importance of robust grassroots community participation. The constitution aims to enforce a self-sustaining equilibrium where MKR token holders can effectively govern the DAO while promoting its growth and adaptation.
In a bid to counterbalance rigidity and immutability, the Maker Constitution introduces a system for incubating and launching SubDAOs, which operate as semi-independent DAOs linked to Maker Governance that enable fast-moving innovation, growth, and experimentation. These SubDAOs also allow for the delegation of responsibility and risk within specific, highly complex areas.
Despite the constitution's approval with 76.04% of MKR votes, some users have criticized it as authoritarian. Critics argue that restrictions on communication from constitutional delegates effectively "muzzle" them and inhibit their ability to gather information.
As the Maker Constitution takes effect, it is poised to play a crucial role in fortifying the protocol's governance, enhancing decentralization, and ultimately, achieving MakerDAO's ambitious Endgame Plan.
The Maker Constitution sets the stage for the document's purpose and vision by acknowledging the inherent strength and resilience of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and decentralized finance (DeFi). It highlights how these systems, exemplified by Bitcoin and Ethereum, have demonstrated their ability to withstand adversarial events and maintain security, which is difficult to achieve in centralized systems.
The Maker Constitution, however, acknowledges that the Maker Protocol is fundamentally different from Bitcoin and Ethereum in that it relies on human governance decisions made by $MKR token holders. This reliance introduces weaknesses and vulnerabilities that can potentially result in the protocol's failure or loss of user funds.
While the constitutive aspects of the writing recognizes the importance of addressing full-scale governance attacks, such as takeovers or theft of all DAI collateral, it also emphasizes the need to address slow-moving, slippery slope governance risks, like cultural shifts, creeping misalignment, or structural inability to achieve results. These risks can emerge spontaneously and, if left unaddressed, can pave the way for full-scale governance attacks.
The Maker Constitution highlights the importance of grassroots community participation and alignment with the protocol's purpose as essential tools for defending against these risks. It emphasizes the importance of nurturing a community that transcends mere financial gain, to create a united front that can effectively protect the protocol.
It is precisely in this manner that the Maker Constitution sets the pace for its DAO, emphasizing the need for a robust governance framework that safeguards the protocol against both immediate and long-term risks. This framework aims to foster a strong, aligned community dedicated to promoting the protocol's resilience and success.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
3 days ago • cryptodaily
Nvidia Thinks Crypto Has No Social Impact
Nvidia, the computing software and hardware design firm behind what some have touted to be the cutting edge in terms of processors, has long been a key player in the world of technology. Its silicon substrate designs laid the foundation for technological innovation for over the past three decades, driving progress in various industries.
Nvidia CTO Michael Kagan, however, recently expressed his belief that cryptocurrencies do not "bring anything useful for society," in an interview from The Guardian.
"All this crypto stuff, it needed parallel processing, and [Nvidia] is the best so people just programmed it to use for this purpose. They bought a lot of stuff, and then eventually it collapsed, because it doesn’t bring anything useful for society. AI does." Kagan shares.
Kagan also compared crypto to AI, claiming that the uses of processing power for artificial intelligence engines were somehow more "worthwhile" than mining or computing for proof-of-work blockchains. Despite this assertion, it's essential to examine Nvidia's history and its role in supporting the development of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies, which are shaping a decentralized future.
Nvidia's Silicon Legacy
As a silicon manufacturer, Nvidia has been at the forefront of the tech revolution. Silicon, the second most abundant element on Earth (seventh, if we include the entire known universe), is the primary component in semiconductor materials. Its unique properties have enabled the production of integrated circuits, microprocessors, and memory chips, all of which have played a pivotal role in the digital age. The growth of silicon-based technology has spurred advancements in computing, communications, and various other industries, impacting every aspect of our lives. This also extends to how blockchain technologies were first developed from the mid-80s until the threshold moment in January 2009, which was when the genesis block for Bitcoin was mined.
As technology evolves, the salient prospects of creating cohesively interlinked ecosystems and stacks is increasingly shifting toward decentralization. Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) are key to this development, enabling greater security, transparency, and efficiency in various sectors. The rise of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is just one example of how these technologies are reshaping our world.
Considering the legacy of companies like Nvidia, it is vital that they continue to support and nurture the growth of decentralized technologies. While the initial software behind Bitcoin relied heavily on proof-of-work, future implementations of blockchain and DLT may require less computing power as the shift to proof-of-stake becomes more apparent in the case of Ethereum. As a leading computer hardware manufacturer, Nvidia has the potential to contribute significantly to this decentralized future.
Indeed, Nvidia's mixed relationship with cryptocurrencies highlights the need for tech giants to adapt and embrace the changes driven by blockchain and DLT. Roughly two years ago, its competitors such as AMD have also begun their own initiatives into the crypto space. While their GPUs were in high demand for mining cryptocurrencies, the firm has also faced challenges, such as the enforced hashrate limitations and regulatory prompts and warnings for not disclosing the impact of crypto mining on their gaming GPUs.
Crypto's Social Impact
Technology pushes the boundaries of what's possible in the human imagination. It's a bit disheartening to hear of technologists such as Kagan offer a negative prospect about crypto and blockchain, which may be considered as one of the greatest innovations in recent history. While it's true that there have been challenges and inconsistencies in the crypto industry which have led to global market instability, the core technology and the ideals of freedom and financial inclusion it represents is what's important, not the individual aberrations or the prices driving people unto irrational heights.
Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have garnered significant attention in recent years, not only for their potential to disrupt traditional financial systems but also for their wide-ranging social implications.
The crypto industry is rapidly reshaping the legacy ecosystems that we've all been mired in: from banking to finance, crypto is changing the paradigm, opening its use to unbanked and underbanked demographics. With a borderless and decentralized financial ecosystem, crypto enables people without access to (or even those who prefer not to) traditional banking services to become active participants in the global economy. This fosters individual freedom and opens opportunities, especially in developing nations.
In the same way, crypto and blockchain tech have also revolutionized philanthropy and social initiatives. With the use of transparent smart contracts, crypto helps ensure funds are used effectively and reach their intended recipients. Tokenization and smart contracts can also be used to facilitate innovative funding models, such as decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) focused on social causes.
While cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have faced harsh criticism for their energy consumption and impact, many projects in the crypto space are actively working on more sustainable solutions. It can also be leveraged to promote environmental stewardship, such as by tracking carbon emissions, enabling peer-to-peer renewable energy trading, and ensuring sustainable land management practices.
It's crucial for companies like Nvidia to recognize the potential of blockchain and DLT in shaping our shared, decentralized future. By supporting and fostering these advancements, tech giants can help usher in a new era of innovation, driving progress across industries and improving the lives of people worldwide.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Opinions stated herein are solely of the author's, and hence do not represent or reflect CryptoDaily's position on the matter. The author has no influential stakes in any of the digital assets and securities mentioned, and does not have any significant hold of or own any cryptocurrency or token discussed.