Human Rights Leaders Urge Congress to Take 'Open-Minded' View on Bitcoin

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A letter detailing the utility of bitcoin and stablecoins for people facing political repression and economic hardship has been sent to the U.S. Congress by 20 human rights activists.

• The letter was addressed to the likes of House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and both the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, Charles E. Schumer and Mitch McConnell, respectively.

• It outlines personal accounts of how bitcoin and stablecoins have been used by people in nations suffering conflict, like Ukraine, as well as those bit by hyperinflation, such as Venezuela.

• "When currency catastrophes struck Cuba, Afghanistan, and Venezuela, Bitcoin gave our compatriots refuge," the letter states. "When crackdowns on civil liberties befell Nigeria, Belarus, and Hong Kong, Bitcoin helped keep the fight against authoritarianism afloat."

• ‍ Lyudmyla Kozlovska, a Ukrainian activist, said bitcoin has directly assisted in fundraising for soldiers in the fight against Russia.

• "For me, Bitcoin is not just technology. It has literally saved the lives of my friends and many Ukrainians," Kozlovska said. "Without it, we would not have been able to raise money so quickly to pay for protective equipment for soldiers in the early days of the Russian invasion."