David Z. Morris

David Z. Morris was CoinDesk's Chief Insights Columnist. He has written about crypto since 2013 for outlets including Fortune, Slate, and Aeon. He is the author of "Bitcoin is Magic," an introduction to Bitcoin's social dynamics. He is a former academic sociologist of technology with a PhD in Media Studies from the University of Iowa. He holds Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and small amounts of other crypto assets.

David Z. Morris

Latest from David Z. Morris


Finance

Michael Levy: How to Turn Your NFT Into a Loan

Levy, a speaker at the Consensus festival, was an early investor in NBA Top Shot, a catalyst for the NFT boom. Now he runs Flowty, an NFT lending platform.

(Michael Levy, modified by Kevin Ross/CoinDesk)

Opinion

Meme Coins, Gambling and Crypto Regulation

As the Biden administration develops a crypto regulation framework, one type of token could be due for particularly close scrutiny.

Most experts agree that trading "meme coins" is effectively a form of gambling. The implications go well beyond individual losses. (Nikola Stojadinovic/Getty Images)

Opinion

Waves Founder Blames Short Sellers for Its Woes. Here's Why That's a Red Flag

To longtime finance observers, blaming shorts often looks like the last desperate deflection of a project in denial about its failures.

The WAVES smart-contract ecosystem has hit a rough patch. Its attempt to stop short selling might not be a sustainable solution. (Gabe LHeureux/ Getty Images)

Opinion

Ethereum Founder Vitalik Buterin Praises 'Bitcoin Maximalism' (Maybe)

The blockchain mastermind also took shots at Ethereum in a richly ambiguous April Fools’ post.

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, speaks during ETHDenver in Denver, Colorado, U.S., on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. (Chet Strange/Getty Images)

Opinion

Chris Larsen’s Plan to Greenify Bitcoin: Risky, Impractical and Maybe Nonsensical

As he strides away from the wreckage of Ripple, bags full to bursting, Larsen thinks he knows what’s best for the coin he failed to replace.

Ripple co=founder Chris Larsen is launching a PR campaign to make bitcoin greener by changing its security model. Bitcoiners see it as the latest in a long line of attacks. (Malte Mueller/Getty Images/fStop)

Opinion

Why There's Already a Will Smith Slap Token

Meme tokens often arrive to capitalize on a viral moment, like flowers blooming after rain. But they rarely stay fresh for long.

Will Smith, in 1996 (Harry Langdon)

Opinion

Why Is the IMF So Afraid of Cryptocurrency?

The IMF is not a neutral aid organization, but the economic arm of a vast power structure. Crypto threatens that power.

A demonstrator during a protest against Argentina's International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreement outside the National Congress building in Buenos Aires on Thursday, March 17, 2022. The protestor's t-shirt features the slogan "Las Estafas No Se Pagan," or "Scams are not meant to be paid."


Argentina's inflation accelerated in February at its fastest pace in nearly a year, surpassing forecasts and challenging the governments targets for this year in its preliminary agreement with the International Monetary Fund. (Marcos Brindicci/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Layer 2

Juno's Proposal 16 Vote Is a Watershed for Blockchain Governance – For Better or Worse

The proposal to cut a whale's token balance, which narrowly passed, highlights the complexity and risks of on-chain governance.

Implementing Proposal 16 would require a hard fork. (Juno, modified by CoinDesk)

Opinion

A 'Petroyuan' Could Further Shake the Dollar's Dominance

Saudi-Chinese talks "accelerate" just as unprecedented sanctions against Russia whet global appetites for greenback alternatives.

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during a state visit to China in 2017. (Getty Images)

Opinion

Jack Dorsey, Block and the Perils of Making Crypto User-Friendly

Everyone seems to agree that crypto needs to improve its user experience. But at what cost?

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