Cypherpunk Nick Szabo is joining Samson Mow's Jan3 — a digital infrastructure company fostering global Bitcoin (BTC) adoption — as chief scientist, the company announced on Jan. 9.
Szabo’s role as chief scientist includes spearheading research into Bitcoin’s implications for monetary policy, international trade settlement, and global adoption.
The Cypherpunk said he is joining Jan3 to help cement BTC as the “Cornerstone of an entirely new global financial system.” Szabo wrote:
"By focusing on decentralization and trust minimization, we can address the systemic inefficiencies of legacy systems and empower individuals, corporations, and nations to embrace true financial sovereignty.”
The addition of Szabo to Jan3 comes amid several nation-states accruing Bitcoin as a reserve asset and the possibility of a Bitcoin strategic reserve in the United States.
Senator Cynthia Lummis’ Bitcoin Strategic Reserve bill. Source: Cynthia Lummis
The international hodl race is on
During an appearance on Yahoo Finance in November, entrepreneur and investor Anthony Pompliano declared that the Bitcoin race between nation-states was underway.
The pro-Bitcoin Pompliano said that smaller nations like Bhutan and El Salvador, which are not worried about systemic financial risks from Bitcoin adoption due to their size, are front-running the US by stacking Bitcoin as a reserve asset.
On Dec. 28, El Salvador's Bitcoin holdings totaled 6,000 BTC, valued at $569 million at the time. The South American country has been steadily buying one BTC per day as part of its strategic reserve plan.
According to Arkham Intelligence, Bhutan currently holds roughly 11,600 BTC, valued at approximately $1 billion.
Kingdom of Bhutan’s crypto holdings. Source: Arkham Intelligence
Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City — a special administrative region within the kingdom — revealed plans to establish a digital asset reserve in a Jan. 8 announcement.
The digital asset reserve will include cryptocurrency staples like Bitcoin, Ether (ETH), and altcoins like BNB (BNB).
Authorities from the region said they would discuss plans for the crypto reserve with national officials and industry leaders in March 2025.
Mow told Cointelegraph in November that he predicts Bitcoin adoption will accelerate following the digital currency breaking the $100,000 price level.
The CEO and Bitcoin evangelist added that spiraling government debt, rapid depreciation of fiat currencies, and an erosion of public trust in institutions would drive the world toward a Bitcoin standard.
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