In a world where financial systems are weaponized against dissent, Bitcoin has become a guiding star of economic freedom. At We Are Innovation, we believe in innovative solutions that work for the benefit of society. In terms of protecting human rights, can tech and Bitcoin do something about it? Win Ko Ko Aung, an advocate for global Bitcoin adoption with the Human Rights Foundation and Bitcoin Policy Institute, believes so.
Win is a former activist from Burma who experienced the consequences of exclusion during the revolution. The mechanism is very simple — a few uncareful statements that do not align with the current government agenda, and bank accounts are frozen by some miraculous force.
How do you live if you do not have access to bank accounts? What to do if your savings, bank information, transaction history, and all sensitive data are in the sight of the government? How do you leave a country with an authoritarian regime? What money to live on if your accounts are frozen, and you are abroad? What to do if there is a war in your country, and any aid that is transferred from abroad goes through a series of long and unnecessary bureaucratic processes?
After discussing all these topics over a cup of coffee with Win in New York, we thought, why not scale our dialogue? I am not a programmer or a coder, but I am a person who, due to personal experience and my professional environment, knows what difficulties civilians, activists, and marginalized communities face in the current geopolitical setup.
A logical continuation of our conversation was a webinar about Bitcoin, to which we invited our friends and colleagues. While working on this webinar, I had a very specific goal — to gather representatives of the international community and discuss not only how Bitcoin helps in different parts of the world but what is happening in the world in general, how these people first came to the niche, and why. Not abstractly, without speaking in loud terms, “this is the technology of the future.” Real people and specific examples.
Apart from Win and me, the conversation featured Jorge Jraissati, the President of the Economic Inclusion Group, and Viktoria Zaichenko, an organizer of Bitcoin meetups in Kyiv and the Event Director at Ukrainska Pravda, made one thing clear: Bitcoin isn’t just an investment or a trading tool. Under oppressive regimes, it is a tool for survival.
Financial Censorship: A Silent Weapon Against Dissent in Burma
For many human rights defenders, financial repression is an everyday reality. Governments can freeze bank accounts, block transactions, and cut off funding to silence opposition. This is especially true under authoritarian regimes, where activists are routinely locked out of the financial system.
Bitcoin changes the game. As a permissionless, censorship-resistant network, it allows individuals to receive, store, and send funds without interference. In Burma, for example, following the military coup in February 2021, the Junta swiftly took control of the country’s financial systems to quash dissent.
Activists and pro-democracy groups faced severe financial exclusion, with their bank accounts frozen and every transaction monitored. Bitcoin became essential for bypassing these restrictions, allowing Burma’s freedom fighters to maintain access to crucial funding and protect their operations from financial retaliation.
For those on the ground in Myanmar, Bitcoin allows them to fund their campaigns, secure donations, and coordinate resistance without the constant threat of surveillance or government crackdowns. By turning to decentralized finance, Myanmar’s democracy defenders aren’t just fighting for political freedom but reclaiming economic sovereignty from authoritarian control.
Venezuela: Bitcoin as a Lifeline
Jorge Jraissati, the President of the Economic Inclusion Group and a human rights advocate, has seen firsthand how Bitcoin serves as a tool of nonviolent resistance. In Venezuela, years of economic collapse, hyperinflation, and systemic repression have left citizens financially stranded. Traditional banking systems are weaponized against dissenters — accounts are frozen, access to funds is restricted, and the government controls economic life.
Bitcoin offers an escape. Venezuelans are using Bitcoin to preserve their wealth, send and receive money internationally, and circumvent the restrictions imposed on bank accounts and transactions. Financial technologies allow individuals to act freely when traditional systems fail them.
Moreover, many Venezuelan citizens who fled to Europe also face numerous barriers to accessing basic banking services. They suffer limited credit access, lack of documentation, and endless delays in processing their applications. Opening a bank account is often impossible or restrictive. Bitcoin allows them to bypass bureaucratic red tape and avoid financial exclusion, opening doors that traditional systems keep locked. All they need is an internet connection and a digital wallet.
The Power of Bitcoin Donations
A standout example was the Bitcoin donation, which was equal to 500,000 USD, and played a crucial role in funding Ukraine’s defense and aid efforts. This donation highlighted how cryptocurrency can navigate around government-imposed barriers. The donation helped provide medical supplies, food, and shelter, delivering relief to those caught in the middle of the war and internally displaced citizens.
This is just one example of Bitcoin’s unique ability to support humanitarian causes in times of crisis. However, its technological advantage is especially crucial for Ukraine, where sanctions and financial restrictions hinder international aid flow. However, this growing reliance on Bitcoin of humanitarian assistance also brings a pressing concern: the risk of overregulation. With the current discussions around the passing of the new law on virtual assets, it becomes clear that tightening rules can stifle Bitcoin’s benefits. If the law comes into force, the crypto income will be taxed, with the tax being most likely based on the investment income model — 18 percent + military levy (5 percent) = 23 percent.
What’s next? Our recent global talk at We Are Innovation showcases that in a time when financial sovereignty is under constant threat, Bitcoin offers an alternative to centralized systems that have historically oppressed the most vulnerable.
Yet, as we celebrate the power of innovation, we must also be mindful of the regulatory debates and challenges surrounding its use. Bitcoin’s role in human rights, economic inclusion, and resistance isn’t guaranteed if we fail to protect its core values. The conversation is far from over, but one thing is clear: we should not view Bitcoin just as a currency or a tool for traders. We should see it as a tool to exercise human rights and pursue financial freedom, and it is here to stay. That said, when economic freedom is at stake, innovation is the future.
* Tetiana Rak is the Chief Operations Officer (COO) at We Are Innovation. A journalist and freedom activist with 8 years of experience, Tania has worked with renowned media outlets, including CNN, TechCrunch, Fox News, HackerNoon, the BBC, and Radio Free Europe, among others. Her unwavering dedication to championing the ideas of technological advancements and global digital transformations has earned her a distinguished reputation in the field. Through her work, Tania promotes the ideas of liberty and individual rights as a cornerstone of any rights-respecting society. Strengthened by the experience of war in Ukraine, Tania’s beliefs also stand for promoting technological advancements as the transformative tool to advance liberty, giving people the opportunity to speak, act, and pursue happiness without unnecessary external restrictions.
Source: We Are Innovation
