The dawn of cryptocurrency was heralded as a pivotal moment in the evolution of finance, a movement that promised to dismantle the entrenched systems of power, liberating money from the clutches of state control and offering a transparent, permissionless alternative to the archaic structures of traditional banking. Like many early adopters, I was swept up in the fervor, envisioning a world where financial freedom and fairness were not just ideals but tangible realities. Yet, as I survey the l...