当「去中心化」遭遇政治审查与极权阴谋 - 从 $LI 事件看加密世界的潜藏危机
Under the Shadow of Totalitarianism: The Illusion of Decentralization
Translated by ChatGPT
1. The Dream of Decentralization in the Crypto World
In an ideal crypto world, decentralization represents freedom, innovation, and a transaction environment free from interference by centralized authorities. However, recent dual censorship incidents targeting the $LI community—OKX Web3 Wallet blocking $LI and Solana's Jupiter Exchange engaging in "passive censorship"—have exposed how political control and authoritarian schemes not only exist within traditional centralized institutions but can also infiltrate the crypto space. What was once a beacon of decentralization can be turned into a tool for silencing voices and controlling narratives.
2. Coordinated Attacks: Chinese Exchanges and the “Second Firewall”
The targeting of the $LI project is no coincidence. It reflects a carefully orchestrated campaign of political suppression backed by intertwined interests. China’s control methods in the Myawaddy area of Myanmar and its surveillance of the crypto industry serve as typical examples. Many Chinese-backed exchanges claim to uphold principles of decentralization and user-centric values, but they often function as another layer of the “firewall” for authoritarian control: (1) Complicity in Censorship and Data Sharing Chinese exchanges can easily hand over KYC data from mainland users to the Chinese government. When users express dissenting political opinions, this becomes a convenient excuse for arrests or the freezing of "illegal funds." As a result, both freedom of speech and the safety of personal assets are compromised. (2) Asset Freezing and Aggressive Enforcement There have been numerous reports of platforms cooperating with Chinese authorities to freeze users' bank accounts and liquidate their positions through forced manipulation. In extreme cases, crypto traders and professionals in mainland China face targeted surveillance, arrests, and unjust legal processes, sometimes enduring torture and extortion under the pretense of law enforcement. (3) Offshore Bases and Gray Operations As rumors about the Myawaddy region in Myanmar suggest, authoritarian forces often exploit offshore bases to control the flow of capital, personnel, and technology. These so-called "offshore" or "third-party" setups are often designed to facilitate greater government control and manipulation.
Through these methods, Chinese-backed exchanges and related entities jointly construct a “second firewall” within the crypto world, excluding and suppressing projects and voices they deem undesirable. The $LI project has become the latest target of this campaign.
3. The Dual Censorship Faced by $LI
(1) OKX Web3 Wallet’s “Fake Pixiu Token” Ban On the second day of $LI’s launch, OKX Web3 Wallet blocked it under the guise of “Pixiu Token.” Community members quickly pointed out that OKX has previously been accused of collaborating with Chinese police to freeze assets and share KYC data. For OKX, “decentralization” seems to be more of a façade, as its actions reflect potential subservience to governmental agencies. Manipulative practices, such as forced liquidations and facilitating money laundering, further highlight its complex web of political and financial interests. (2) Jupiter Exchange’s Silent Review and Indifference Jupiter Exchange, the largest DEX aggregator on Solana, repeatedly ignored $LI’s verification applications. Moreover, its official Discord dismissed community inquiries with mockery and indifference. What seems like a mere “review delay” or “technical issue” could, in the broader context of authoritarian suppression, signify another form of implicit censorship. This “passive censorship” is particularly insidious in crypto—it avoids direct bans but achieves the same suppressive outcome through prolonged inaction.
4. The Shadow of Political Censorship: Crypto’s Ongoing Struggle
When trading platforms and so-called “decentralized” aggregators are influenced by external political forces, the principles of freedom, fairness, and autonomy originally advocated by blockchain technology are severely undermined. The incidents involving OKX and Jupiter Exchange demonstrate that the crypto industry remains vulnerable to authoritarian interference and vested interests.
$LI’s experience reveals the fragility of decentralization on platforms with significant scale and technical resources. The collusion between authoritarian regimes and centralized exchanges (CEX) not only threatens freedom of speech but also poses significant risks to individual property rights. At the same time, it exposes the crypto industry’s lack of robust mechanisms to prevent political censorship.
For the crypto world, this is not just a challenge but also a wake-up call: The crypto community must say NO to authoritarian infiltration!
Discussion Open 🐱
What do you know about the malicious acts of CEX and gatekeepers in the crypto world? Feel free to share your thoughts, meow 🐱!