Nick Carter, a crypto venture investor known for coining "Operation Chokepoint 2.0," dives into the recent regulatory shifts impacting the cryptocurrency sector. He discusses the reversal of anti-crypto regulations by the FDIC and reflects on their historical context. The conversation covers the regulatory pressures faced by crypto banks following the FTX collapse and explores how the industry is adapting through lawsuits and legislative efforts. Carter emphasizes the potential for improved cooperation between the crypto community and government, highlighting future innovation opportunities.
Operation Chokepoint 2.0 reflects a historical pattern of regulatory overreach reminiscent of the Obama-era initiative targeting high-risk industries.
In response to regulatory pressures, the crypto industry has mobilized for transparency and accountability, fostering legislative efforts for clearer regulations.
Deep dives
The Origins of Operation Chokepoint
Operation Chokepoint originated from a series of regulatory actions taken during the Obama administration between 2013 and 2017, targeting industries deemed high risk, such as payday lending and gun sales. These legal businesses, while not criminal, faced undue pressure as financial regulators coerced banks to cut off their access to vital services. This earlier initiative was later acknowledged by the Department of Justice as a misguided program, signaling the controversial nature of such regulatory actions. The current situation within the cryptocurrency sector is being likened to this past initiative, prompting discussions about a similar pattern of behavior leading to what has been dubbed Operation Chokepoint 2.0.
Regulatory Actions Affecting Crypto
In recent months, a cascade of actions from U.S. regulators indicated a tightening grip on the cryptocurrency industry, strategically beginning with a warning from three senators to Silvergate Bank regarding its crypto dealings. This was quickly followed by Signature Bank's decision to withdraw from crypto-related deposits, demonstrating an immediate response to the regulatory environment. Additionally, the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and OCC collectively issued warnings about the risks associated with cryptocurrencies, creating a chilling effect within the banking sector. As the situation escalated, various banks began withdrawing from the crypto market entirely, leading many to perceive this as a concerted effort to debank the industry.
Industry Pushback and Legislative Developments
In response to the adverse regulatory landscape, the crypto industry implemented a multifaceted approach to fight back, which began to manifest in congressional hearings and legal actions. Lawmakers, especially from the Republican side, initiated hearings encouraging transparency from regulators and providing a platform for crypto representatives to voice their concerns. Additionally, industry players employed FOIA requests to uncover documents that revealed regulators' strategies against cryptocurrency businesses, emphasizing a shared fight for accountability. This mobilization spurred promising legislative efforts, with various bills proposed to establish clearer regulations and frameworks for crypto assets, indicating a shifting atmosphere towards collaboration rather than exclusion.
With a set of recent actions, the FDIC has completely reversed its aggressive anti-crypto campaign, nearly two years to the day after Nic Carter first termed it "Operation Chokepoint 2.0." In this episode, a recently voice losing NLW turns to OpenAI's Deep Research and Google's NotebookLM to do a history of the campaign against crypto.
Read the original research paper: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F_zV0uyI5MRa5TNN3fh8X7EQPKDoD_zOT6JUZi1ryQY/edit?usp=sharing
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