Trace Mayer #95

Biography:

Trace Mayer is an investor, journalist and the host of the podcast "Bitcoin Knowledge." In 2013, Mayer helped organize the first Bitcoin conference. He is known for coining the term “The Hodler of Last Resort." Mayer has been organizing the Proof of Keys event since Jan. 3, 2019 (the anniversary of the Bitcoin genesis block), in which Bitcoin holders move their funds off of exchanges in solidarity with "monetary sovereignty" without relying on trusted third parties like centralized exchanges that are vulnerable to hacks or shutdowns.

Trace Mayer's 2019:

While this past year saw the inaugural Proof of Keys event, Mayer has been vocal about his dislike for institutional investors' reliance on centralized exchanges, even citing that if Coinbase were to fail and users were unable to access their Bitcoin, the sharp increase in scarcity could drive the price of Bitcoin for owners with secure, trustless access to their funds. The popularity of the Proof of Keys event has even led some people, including Mayer, to suggest that exchanges have disabled or may disable withdrawals on the day of the event to inhibit a mass exodus of users.

What Cointelegraph expects for 2020:

Mayer's 2020 started with the second Proof of Keys event. As exchanges continue to be the most popular means of participating in the crypto economy, we expect Mayer and other members of the Bitcoin community to advocate monetary sovereignty in an open and permissionless financial system without relying on trusted intermediaries and repeating the patterns of traditional finance. Throughout this new year, we look forward to listening to Mayer's conversations with Bitcoin's movers and shakers on his podcast.