According to ShibDaily, David Marcus, the former head of Facebook's Libra project, has claimed that political opposition was the primary reason for the failure of the stablecoin initiative. In a detailed post on X, Marcus described the project's shutdown as a "100% political kill," attributing it to actions by regulators and government officials behind the scenes. The Libra project, which was later rebranded as Diem, aimed to create a global digital currency to facilitate fast, low-cost cross-border transactions. Its goals included providing financial inclusion for the unbanked, offering a stable alternative to volatile cryptocurrencies, and streamlining digital payments through blockchain technology.
Despite extensive briefings with key regulators before its launch, Libra faced significant global resistance. Marcus recounted that following the project's announcement in June 2019, he was called to testify before the Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Committee just two weeks later. This marked the beginning of two years of continuous efforts to address lawmakers' and regulators' concerns. By spring 2021, after tackling issues related to financial crime, money laundering, consumer protection, and reserve management, Marcus stated that the company was prepared to launch. However, he alleged that U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell that supporting the project would be "political suicide," effectively halting its progress.
Marcus also claimed that the Federal Reserve began contacting participating banks, reportedly advising them that while they couldn't be stopped from proceeding, there was discomfort with their involvement. Concerns among lawmakers and regulators centered on the potential impact of a Facebook-backed currency on the global financial system and the control central banks have over currency. Marcus and several key figures involved in the project departed in late 2021. In his concluding remarks, Marcus emphasized the lessons learned from the experience, advocating for a truly open global financial network based on Bitcoin, which he described as the most neutral, decentralized, and secure asset. He asserted that Bitcoin is "hands down" the best choice for such a network.
