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


Policy

Consensus 2021: Can Privacy Coins, Exchanges and Regulators Coexist?

Craig Salm (Grayscale), Marta Belcher (Protocol Labs) and Chen Arad (Solidus) discuss how regulation and privacy can get along.

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Policy

Banning Crypto to Stop Hackers Is Like Banning Cheese to Stop Mice

A Wall Street Journal op-ed argues banning crypto can stop ransomware attacks, like the one on the Colonial Pipeline. The notion is ridiculous, says our columnist.

Colonial Pipeline facility

Finance

What Is the Bitcoin Mining Council – And What Should It Become?

Elon Musk and Michael Saylor's plan for a greener bitcoin is light on details so far. Here are some possible approaches, says our columnist.

Bitcoin mining at the CryptoUniverse Farm, in Russia.

Policy

Of Course China Is Anti-Bitcoin: Look What Happened to Jack Ma

China's assault on bitcoin is part of a broader struggle to foster innovation while maintaining control, says our columnist.

China crypto crackdown 2021

Tech

Venmo's Censorship of Gaza Payments Makes Case for Neutral Platforms

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the Gaza conflict, platforms like Venmo shouldn't decide who gets paid or not. We need open systems like Bitcoin.

Gaza City on Thursday

Markets

Time to Decide: Are You an Investor or a Gambler?

A crash isn't a great time to decide why you invested in the first place. But it's better late than never.

DAX Drops Sharply, Recovers Following Greece Turmoil

Markets

Why Cathie Wood's ARKK Is Still Betting on Coinbase

Champion growth investor Cathie Wood has had a tough year. But consistency of approach could be her secret weapon, says our columnist.

Cathie Wood, CEO of Ark Investment Management

Finance

Musk Learns the Hard Way: Crypto Doesn't Need a Savior

Crypto doesn't want kings. Elon Musk is finding that out the hard way.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Markets

Musk Has Doge on a Leash. Is He a Manipulator?

Whatever his intent, to make money or to play games, Musk is putting DOGE holders in a uniquely vulnerable position.

Image posted on Feb. 4, 2021, by Elon Musk's Twitter account. (@elonmusk/Twitter, modified by CoinDesk)

Tech

What If Somebody Hacks the Money Pipeline Next?

The Colonial Pipeline saga illustrates what may be a vulnerability with digital currency issued by central banks.

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