Just like Venezuela, it looks like Lebanon might be the next to start adopting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
every financial crisis or instance of civil unrest, bitcoiners get all excited that they will facilitate bitcoin adoption. i'm always skeptical of these narratives. the hong kong protests were supposed to be a similar opportunity for adoption
but protestors revealed otherwise:However, the Hong Kong protester added, “there is no [internet] connection in the protest area, no matter which service provider you used,” and protesters are generally not clear on how bitcoin would be used by individuals during a time of civil unrest. It is mostly useful for receiving donations from abroad that don’t require prompt liquidity.
Plus, he said protesters who tried mesh-network devices, which basically bounce a message or transaction across a web of devices until it finds a device with internet access, found they were “not useful for a confrontational situation.” Although many protesters use Telegram because it allows chatting without revealing the users’ phone numbers, he said tools that rely on mobile data providers offer limited functionality in times of turmoil.
so it seems that bitcoin usage is extremely hampered in conflict areas. the same goes for the middle east:
Despite regaining some level of connectivity, he said his bitcoin wallet apps and mobile apps like Telegram are still blocked. It’s especially difficult for Iranians to access foreign servers and infrastructure because many companies ban Iranians for fear of U.S. sanctions.
“We're locked up in a prison that the U.S. and Iranian governments have built for us,” he said, adding the Blockstream bitcoin satellite and mesh network technologies aren’t useful when you’re in a massive internet desert. “In situations where we don't have physical connection none of these fucking technologies help us,” he said.