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Your Personal Daily Intelligence
Edition 2026-07-11

BUSINESS

Crypto Billionaires Test Blockchain Governance in Liberland Micronation

Vít Jedlička, president of the micronation Liberland, said that voting power is linked to a purchasable crypto token called Liberland Merits.

By bbc · 47d ago · Source: bbc

Full article

Vít Jedlička, president of the micronation Liberland, said that voting power is linked to a purchasable crypto token called Liberland Merits. The settlement lies on a floodplain along the Danube River between Serbia and Croatia, accessible only by boat because Croatian authorities block land entry. In a recent interview, Jedlička explained that holders of more Merits have greater influence over leadership decisions, effectively allowing money to determine voting weight. He also described the micronation as tax‑free, a point reiterated by interior minister Ivan Pernar, a former member of parliament who has promoted conspiracy theories.

Liberland was founded by Jedlička on a disputed strip of land to create a libertarian digital community that operates on blockchain technology. The project gained attention after Chinese crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, whose net worth is estimated at $8.5 billion, pledged support along with about 30 other technology billionaires. Sun, who invested more than $75 million in the Trump family's World Liberty Financial crypto venture and contributed millions to a Trump‑linked memecoin, said the blockchain platform could eventually replace conventional government.

Sun and other supporters cite examples such as Tim Draper's Draper Nation, which proposes a digital country using Bitcoin, and the Seasteading Institute's offshore community plans. They argue that decentralized voting systems, automated by code, could increase efficiency and reduce the cost of public administration. Critics note that the technology is still early, and human officials remain necessary to enforce decisions.

The broader context includes statements from Curtis Yarvin, a tech founder who advocates a model he calls "Patchwork," in which sovereign micro‑states operated by shareholders replace traditional nation‑states. Yarvin's ideas have attracted attention from venture capitalists and members of the Trump administration.

The crypto lobbying sector reported $238 million in contributions during the most recent election cycle, surpassing historic fossil‑fuel lobbying spending. While proponents view blockchain as a tool for individual liberty, opponents warn that concentration of voting power in the hands of large token holders may replicate existing economic inequalities.

Source transparency

Publisher
bbc
Reliability
high
Published
7/11/2026, 10:00:36 AM
Retrieved
7/11/2026, 10:00:36 AM
Relevance
80%
Confidence
85%
Read original at bbc

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