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


Markets

Gary Gensler Speaks. The Reviews From Crypto Aren't Terrible

Bitcoiners were quite receptive to the new SEC chair’s sweeping statement of purpose on crypto regulation. Others, predictably, were not.

Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler

Markets

'Preying on Human Weakness': Why Investors Are Nervous About Robinhood

Regulatory fears have been a major headwind for Robinhood's IPO. Here's why authorities might crack down.

Street gambling in Chinatown, San Francisco. Gambling is a huge part of human society - but it comes with significant  downsides for some.

Markets

Fundamentally Incompatible: How the Proposed Crypto Tax Rules Miss the Mark

A late addition to the infrastructure bill moving through Congress would impose impossible reporting requirements on miners and wallets.

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), one of the main sponsors of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, speaks at the 2015 Defending the American Dream Summit at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Markets

The IMF's Self-Serving Case Against Bitcoin

The International Monetary Fund has finally expanded on its "issues" with El Salvador's adoption of bitcoin. There's not much behind the curtain.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele (center), with then-Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina (second from right) in 2019.

Markets

Tether's Collapse Would Be Chaotic, Not Cataclysmic

Possible criminal charges against Tether executives will put even more pressure on a product that the market is already cooling on.

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Markets

What a Gory New Horror Film Teaches Us About Financial Censorship

Much like the deranged lead of "Censor," financial regulators are deluding themselves that centralized control will lead to a crime-free utopia.

Niamh Algar in Prano Bailey-Bond's movie "Censor"

Markets

The Node: Europe's Hidden Agenda on Crypto Wallets

Although Europe isn't banning anonymous crypto wallets, proposed rule changes could hurt the crypto industry. It's time to fight back.

jakob-braun-vpsPRd_rz-A-unsplash

Markets

No, the European Union Is Not 'Banning Anonymous Crypto Wallets'

The E.U. Commissioner for Financial Services may have misunderstood the meaning of her own statement. The reality is hard to imagine.

The EU flag (Christian Lue/Unsplash)

Markets

China's Digital Inequality Dilemma: Open-Source Innovation vs. Control

China's fight against data-driven inequality could also hamper prosperity. Web 3.0 is one solution but will the Communist party embrace it?

A vegetable vendor in Shuhe, China. Apps that centralize vegetable vending have been among the targets of Chinese authorities' technology crackdown, out of fear they would eliminate jobs and increase inequality.

Markets

How $33B Robinhood Ended Up Being Worth Less Than Coinbase

The stock-trading app will debut in a fast-cooling market, costing it millions in cash and billions in market cap, says our columnist.

It's not just bulls and bears - equities are ruled by the shifting moods of the entire zoo.