I just got off the phone with FinCEN

[Dr-Rockso]

I'm sure "Anthony's" view will stand up in the Supreme Court, and influence the Parliament and statutory agencies to make laws

The all powerful blog. It's free speech, which is worth nothing, except a possible momentary distraction from the mundane. Your sarcasm is justified.

Unfortunately, just like with a great many things, the only thing that may motivate our illustrious governments, and people creating all of these wonderful laws is $$$.

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[kalinka]

Update 4/3/2013

Anthony had this to clarify after checking with his colleagues:

An exchanger is a person engaged as a business in the exchange of virtual currency for real currency, funds, or other virtual currency. An administrator is a person engaged as a business in issuing (putting into circulation) a virtual currency , and who has the authority to redeem (to withdraw from circulation) such virtual currency.

SO

Even if you obtain the bitcoins as part of a business, if you are not in the "business in the exchange of virtual currency for real currency, funds, or other virtual currency" and are just selling coins obtained from a user standpoint, including from a business such as sale of items, etc, then that does not require you to register just because you exchange for USD later.

I think this latest clarification will make a great number of users of bitcoin not needing to register. However, if miners are still required to register, I still don't know how transacting with sites such as mtgox will work.

[ColdHardMetal]

An administrator is a person engaged as a business in issuing (putting into circulation) a virtual currency , and who has the authority to redeem (to withdraw from circulation) such virtual currency.

Kind of comes down to how serious they are about that bolded "and". Miners can't withdraw coins from circulation, so maybe that excludes them from the "Administrator" label.

[Big Time Coin]

Registration requirements for miners or mining pools would break de-centralization by barring all but the largest miners from operating legally.  This de-centralization and distribution of mining is a core feature of bitcoin, it is a critical security feature, so any attempt to regulate miners by imposing registration requirements is an attack on a core feature of bitcoin and the security of the bitcoin network.

If you are having a dialogue with a regulatory agency on this point, try to make them aware of this.

[justusranvier]

Registration requirements for miners or mining pools would break de-centralization by barring all but the largest miners from operating legally.  This de-centralization and distribution of mining is a core feature of bitcoin, it is a critical security feature, so any attempt to regulate miners by imposing registration requirements is an attack on a core feature of bitcoin and the security of the bitcoin network.

If it's too bad the miners would simply operate in other countries.

If you are having a dialogue with a regulatory agency on this point, try to make them aware of this.

Why would you assume that's not their goal?

[Big Time Coin]

Because most transactions in bitcoin are USD transactions and most bitcoins are owned by americans and US companies will benefit most from its success, like the internet, so they should try not to attack it but rather let it thrive because that is what is best for America.

[SgtSpike]

Because most transactions in bitcoin are USD transactions and most bitcoins are owned by americans and US companies will benefit most from its success, like the internet, so they should try not to attack it but rather let it thrive because that is what is best for America.

That's a valid point.

Also, not everyone in government is evil.  Most of them are just regular people working a day job to get by.  They might listen to what you have to say and seriously consider it.