Peer-to-peer bitcoin exchanges have established themselves as one of the few viable trading platforms for bitcoin investors in less developed or emerging markets. In struggling economies, such as Venezuela, they can even serve as a lifeline for cash-strapped citizens. However, despite the peer-to-peer ethos of these platforms, they are not immune to the geopolitical levers of the state, as Iranian bitcoin users discovered last week. On May 24, when accessing the Iranian section of LocalBitcoins, users in Iran were met with the following statement: “Unfortunately LocalBitcoins is currently not available in your selected region. Please look for another location or come back later.”Read the details on Brave New Coin

Karen Holleran
Karen Holleran Editor @aikarensf Karen is a proud third generation San Franciscan, and has worked in various positions including developer relations, winemaking, freelance writing, and as a teaching assistant for autistic children. She is passionate about disruptive tech, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain technology. She is excited at how these technologies can improve the quality of life for people globally. When Karen isn’t busy discovering new things, you can find her enjoying the diversity of the Bay Area, keeping up to date on the latest tech news, or relaxing at home with her beloved rescued cat.
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Derek Zanutto is General Partner CapitalG where he focuses on investments in enterprise software. Derek has led a number of investments at CapitalG, including Armis, Collibra and Dataiku, and he serves on multiple boards of directors. Prior to joining CapitalG, Derek helped lead technology investments for 10 years at TPG, Hellman & Friedman and GIC, including investments in Uber, Airbnb, Lynda.com and CAA. Derek started his career at Morgan Stanley. Derek holds an AB from Harvard College and an MBA with High Distinction from the Harvard Business School where he graduated as a Baker Scholar.

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