...snip...
Verisend simply cannot be trusted as it is closed source and relies on a centralized mixer on a windows server, Vericoin foundation will likely see major legal issues involving money laundering in the future if they maintain this service and Vericoin does reach ever mainstream use. If services like Lavabit/Twitter/Google/etc can have their records seized by the US government without being allowed report it, it certainly can happen to Verisend.
...snip...
Actually, as someone who has a long standing background in the financial world and has personally worked extensively with FinCEN, Vericoin's features in that regard are under very low risk. What is at very high risk of catching unwanted attention is the recent batch of alts that have anonymity woven into them.
By centralizing certain aspects of Verisend, they technically have the ability to comply with US Federal regulations. Coins that have built in decentralized anonymity quite literally have a target painted on their collective asses, and will be the first hammered into the dirt by the Feds should they ever start looking in that general direction.
Sorry to drop in and disturb your interesting discussion, but here I was thinking that the whole point of anonymous transactions is that you don't have to follow anybody's rules. You move money, nobody knows about, and that's it. And so what if the Feds (by the way, the whole world does not equate Northern America, and not everybody has/needs to comply with your US federal regulations) get interested and start looking in that general direction ? What will they do, what can they do? Will the "feds" shut down the internet, or make it illegal to use p2p networks...in the whole world? Come on. It's not hard to decipher, that decentralized anonymous transactions are just what many people really want...and will have... regardless of you, the US, the "feds" or Santa Claus.
Just my food for thoughts, nothing personal or offensive.
First of all, while I tend to toss around terms like 'Feds' being an American myself, it applies throughout the world governments that some similar entity exists, please don't read too much into that particular word.
Strictly speaking, yes, the point of anonymity is to be anonymous. The question is twofold however.
First of all, while the whole world does not 'have' to comply with US regulations, the US Financial system (for all it's faults) is still capable through the Federal Reserve and US government of applying an absurd amount of pressure to entities based outside of the US. Most money laundering laws are international as well (since every government worldwide pretty much wants to have their hand in the cookie jar), so very little reach is even required. Because something truly anonymous could be used extensively for funding terrorism as well, they could come after it from that vector too. Long story short, until you are living in a non-extradition country and banking with an institution that is not reliant in any way on US or US ally based financial institutions, you might want to rethink how much you can blow off. Its scary how much economic leverage can be applied to anyone to get them to step to the beat. Sad, but true, plain and simple.
And the second facet to this is that any anonymous currency ostracized by the global financial system will probably be very hard to acquire, or cash out. Now while it is in it's own way a currency (obviously), it is only as useful as it can be spent. If you had one million dollars (or equivalent in whichever national currency you prefer) in "AnonymousCOINX" (pulling something random outta my ass as to not offend anyone), you wouldd have to either spend it with merchants who would give you something of value for it, or sell it on an exchange for fiat in order to actually have that value. But if companies wont accept it for fear of being ostracized, and if your local banks wont accept funds from an exchange that trades it for the fear of being ostracized, then what do you really have?
The essential point is that untraceable electronic transfers would be a haven for illicit activity, not just people who feel they have the right to privacy. Because of this, it's would come under what would probably be an almost unsurvivable amount of scrutiny by any and every world government.
Kind of a case of the rotten apples spoiling the whole bushel. While I know a lot of honest folks have interest in the anon aspects of crypto, it is in my personal opinion going to be hammered too much by legal authorities worldwide who are going to be way too fearful of it's illicit use.
