By Sead Fadilpašić
Popular US Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren commented on crypto and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) again, immediately mobilizing crypto advocates.
This time, the senator argued that we have a lot of problems in our financial system right now, one of them being large banks controlling and putting at risks a large part of the economy.
The question we have to ask is look at the design of crypto to see where it may be better but also to see where it may inject its own risks into the system, she said. Cryptos overall interaction with the financial system needs to be taken into consideration.
Still talking about crypto, Warren argued that she doesnt want to see big guys residing in the shadows doing pump-and-dumps and defrauding people.
On crypto regulation, Warren told CNBC that its not the only question. The question is how its aimed. Who takes advantage of there being no rules？ Its the big guys. Who wins when theres no cop on the beat？ Its the big guys, she said, adding that she wants regulations put in place before a lot of people have been wiped out.
just setting up my twttr
— jack (@jack)She also said that digital currency is very interesting, noting an enormous failure by the big banks to reach consumers all across the country, particularly unbanked and underbanked.
Per Warren, digital currency and central bank digital currency (CBDC) may be an answer there, stating that the costs are extraordinarily low for transactions.
As for taxes, whatever assets one has, they should be taxed annually, for those who have more than USD 50m in assets, she added.
The Cryptoverse, however, criticized the senator - again, as she had just recently made a number of statements on bitcoin (BTC) which the crypto proponents found to be incorrect.
Maya Zehavi, a blockchain-focused entrepreneur and Founding Board Member of the Israeli Blockchain Industry Forum, said that she tends to agree with Warrens philosophy, but added that shes flabbergasted [Warren] doesnt see how current CBDC designs just cement the TBTF [too big to fail] financial oligarchy & stampedes on innovation/competition.
Also, on Monday, Warren sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen calling for tougher regulation of the crypto sector. Galaxy Digitals Mike Novogratz criticized her stance on cryptocurrencies, saying that you really dont seem so progressive to me.
He argued that Warren keep[s] going after crypto where saving and money transfer is a fraction of banks, while banks charged USD 12bn in overdraft fees, a fortune in [ATM] fees, a fortune in checking account fees.
Per Novogratz, decentralized finance (DeFi) is more transparent than banks and brings with it a number of benefits for consumers.
If banks had the transparency of defi protocols, we would nott have had the mortgage crisis. Defi will win because… https://t.co/oOinDhxLJn
— Mike Novogratz (@novogratz)