Q: How do you (almost) buy the Constitution with cryptocurrency? [36]
In yet another action-packed news week for blockchain, the headline dominating this cycle is the ConstitutionDAO's ill-fated bid to buy the last remaining original copy of the US Constitution.
Well hello there, my friend!
It’s been a much busier week than I anticipated. In personal news, I sold my house and am moving this week (always a chaotic period when you’re packing your life up made more complicated by the selling of a large ticket item). Additionally, I’ve been getting ramped up at a new stealth startup I’ve been asked to helm (which I can’t wait to talk about here publicly).
Also, I’ve finally gotten around to getting the next panels from my Cypherpunk NFT series finished. Thanks to the drop in gas prices this week, I’ve started minting the images to Foundation. Paid subscribers will get to see a little bit of a preview of what’s coming up in the series.
Despite the price of Bitcoin and Ethereum hitting all time highs (and subsequently dropping 10%) this week, the biggest news story of the week had to be the rise and fall of ConstitutionDAO, an ad hoc organization created to rescue a historically significant piece of paper you may have heard of called the US Constitution. The document had been in private collector hands, and the DAO aimed to ultimately enshrine it for public display at the Smithsonian Museum.
We first went deep on just a few weeks ago in October on the topic of DAOs, and last week we talked a bit about the concept further when ENS announced their token airdrop in the service of their DAO formation.
As I sit writing this, news continues to unfold on the story, but the group announced their formation at the beginning of the week with a Google Doc, Discord server, and a pop up domain. Shortly thereafter, they utilized decentralized fundraising platform Juicebox to coordinate fundraising for the Sotheby’s auction to take place on Thursday.
The latest bit of news that has emerged a few moments ago couldn't be more tragic irony if it tried: the CEO of a multinational centralized TradFi interest beat out an ad hoc, semi-anon, democratic DAO to own a piece of US history. The Wall Street Journal reports that hedge fund Citadel CEO Kenneth Griffin outbid the DAO to win private ownership of the US Constitution.
The last communication from the DAO indicated that after some “well-deserved rest,” they’d get on the job of explaining the process of retrieving donations and winding down the DAO.
Also, below the fold, more advice on the technical markets following the 10% drop in price from BaconDAO founder Dennis Liu.
Thank you for your support!
This is the part of the newsletter where I help pay for the work I do here.
💛 - Send this email to a friend! Even if you’re on the paid version. It’ll get someone else interested, and possibly subscribed!
🦢 - Have you started investing in Bitcoin yet? You’ve read about Dollar Cost Averaging, but don’t know where to start? I endorse Swan Bitcoin as a great tool for setting up a disciplined investment regimen, and many of you do, too! If you sign up with this link, I get $10 to help support my efforts with this newsletter.
📧 - Did you get this emailed to you? Click here to try a premium subscription out free for 14-days (generally, two issues).
₿ - Want to pay with crypto? I’ve got a variety of payment methods to choose from.
📚 - It’s too late to get a copy of get a copy of the Rizzn’s Big Cypherpunk FAQ as a subscription benefit, but they’re available via OpenSea as a Polygon NFT.
Blockchain Bulletin
Discord walks back NFT integration after the torches come out.
Discord CEO Jason Citron went to Twitter and tweeted a screenshot of Discord potentially integrating crypto and NFTs with MetaMask and it split the userbase, causing him to walk back the possibility, reported TechCrunch.
AMC to explore Shiba Inu along with other crypto.
Now that AMC Theaters officially supports multiple cryptocurrencies for the purchase of gift cards (including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Dogecoin) the theater chain will soon implement Shiba Inu, reported The Verge.
Doctors Without Borders taps blockchain for medical records storage.
Doctors Without Borders has partnered with blockchain-based document security company Transcrypts to secure immunization records, reported CoinTelegraph.
Blockchain Behind the Scenes
Zynga shows interest in blockchain gaming.
Mobile and social gaming giant is joining the ever-increasing raft of traditional gaming companies to show interest in blockchain gaming and NFTs with the hire of Matt Wolf as VP of Blockchain Gaming.
Rarible integrates Flow blockchain adding Flow NFTs.
Rarible NFT Marketplace has integrated Flow blockchain so that now traders will be able to create, buy, and trade NFTs created using Dapper Lab’s protocol.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Ask Doctor Bitcoin to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.