We are really looking at the future end of what Monero may be. Forget the technical jargon for a second. This isn’t simply a question of hashrates or block times. It's about people. For this post, we’ll turn our attention to the people of Southeast Asia. Will Monero be their rescue, or will it end up being another shattered hope in the crypto world?
The Qubic dual-mining proposal, at its essence, wants us to exchange possible future scalability for an inarguable loss of privacy now. And honestly, that makes my blood boil. Why? After all, for most people in Southeast Asia, Monero isn’t a speculative asset — it’s a protection. For them, it’s the difference between being able to speak truth to power or being gagged. That’s the difference between financial independence and economic servitude.
I’m specifically referring to the activists in Myanmar utilizing Monero in order to avoid military surveillance and support their resistance. The ringleaders in Cambodia bribing journalists to write favorable coverage, under the assurance their corrupting transactions will never be traced back to them. Or the everyday Vietnamese citizens defying capital controls to feed their families.
Imagine their horror when they realize that the one thing that they relied on their freedom’s footing has been undermined. All this has taken place under the banner of “scalability.” Imagine what they’ll say once they find out their purchases are easier to track. They’ll discover, to their horror, that their financial shenanigans are far more visible to the public eye. This isn’t an ivory tower intellectual argument; this is about real peoples lives literally being on the line.
Let's be clear: the proponents of Qubic frame it as a necessary evolution, a way to future-proof Monero. But I see a Faustian bargain. Scalability is king, sure—but at what expense? Are we really that anxious to put ourselves in competition with Visa? Are we really ready to give up on the people that need Monero the most?
Privacy's Cost: Southeast Asia's Freedom?
Southeast Asia is a region ripe for crypto adoption, precisely because of its unique challenges – weak financial infrastructure, authoritarian regimes, and rampant corruption. At that point, Monero provided a glimmer of hope, with its hardline stance on privacy. It provided a means to transact across borders freely, without fear of censorship or surveillance.
Yet now, we find ourselves considering a first step that would endanger all of it. Further, we need to focus on how importing technical complexities could further erode that anonymity. In other words, it would reduce Monero’s security for those who depend on it the most. We're risking centralization, as larger entities with specialized hardware dominate the dual-mining landscape, squeezing out smaller miners and concentrating power.
The appeal of Monero was in that explicitness, that aesthetic purity of privacy as default. Today, we run the risk of muddying those waters, producing a system that’s more difficult to navigate and more difficult to have faith in.
Even the best of intentions can mislead us. I’m afraid that’s exactly the path that the Qubic proposal is leading us down. Proponents argue that integrating Qubic's decentralized computing layer will expand Monero's utility. However, integration opens even more attack vectors and vulnerabilities to be exploited. These are loopholes that can be taken advantage of by people who want to erode privacy.
We need to be asking tough questions. Who really benefits from this dual-mining model? Or is it the customized Monero user of tomorrow? Maybe it’s the activist in me, Southeast Asian by birth. Or maybe it’s the big bad mining pools and corporations just trying to increase their control.
Centralization's Shadow: Who Benefits?
The reality is we don’t fully know what’s next. As an overall proposal it remains mostly speculative, as very little actual data has been provided to substantiate performance metrics or security proofs. That’s exactly why we should be moving forward with an abundance of caution.
This is not something that should go to a technical debate, this is a moral issue. Beyond this trade-off though, is the question of what kind of cryptocurrency community do we want to be. Which side of that debate are we going to be on as a field—going to hold the line on privacy and lose some tunability, or vice versa? Are we really going to allow ourselves to chase after vaporware efficiency? To do so would be to abandon the very communities who depend on us to protect them.
I urge you, don't be silent. Engage in the Monero community debate. Voice your concerns. Demand transparency from developers. Fund better alternatives that respect privacy without sacrificing decentralization.
Remember, your voice matters. This is no one else’s community but ours, and we’re the ones with the power to determine what’s next. We can’t just sit back and allow the fundamental freedoms and privacy innovations that Monero was built upon to fade away in pursuit of advancement. Join us in defending a future where privacy is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Collectively, we can ensure that all Americans—especially those who need it the most—enjoy this fundamental freedom. Southeast Asia is watching. The world is watching. Together we can make it clear to them that Monero’s promise of privacy is not for sale.
Silence = Consent: Speak Up Now!
This isn't just a technical debate; it's a moral one. It's about deciding what kind of cryptocurrency community we want to be. Are we going to stand firm in our commitment to privacy, even if it means sacrificing some scalability? Or are we going to chase after fleeting promises of efficiency, even if it means betraying the people who depend on us most?
I urge you, don't be silent. Engage in the Monero community debate. Voice your concerns. Demand transparency from developers. Support alternative solutions that prioritize privacy without compromising decentralization.
What legacy will Monero leave behind?
Remember, your voice matters. This is our community, and we have the power to shape its future. Let's not stand idly by while the core principles of Monero are eroded in the name of progress. Let's fight for a future where privacy is not a luxury, but a fundamental right, especially for those who need it most. Southeast Asia is watching. The world is watching. Let's show them that Monero's promise of privacy is not for sale.
