TL;DR

• Bitcoin’s role as a tool for financial freedom was spotlighted at the recent Bitcoin Policy Summit in Washington.
• Alex Gladstein of the Human Rights Foundation told U.S. leaders that authoritarian regimes lose power when citizens gain monetary sovereignty.
• HRF first recognized Bitcoin’s potential in 2013 during Ukraine’s pro-democracy protests.

At the recent Bitcoin Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), stood before a room of U.S. political leaders with a direct message: Bitcoin is “bad for dictators.”

Gladstein argued that Bitcoin’s decentralized nature offers protection against financial censorship and control, tools commonly used by authoritarian regimes to silence dissent and restrict civil liberties.

“With Bitcoin, the ability of these leaders to do these things is completely decimated,” Gladstein said.

His remarks came as part of a broader call for U.S. policymakers to view Bitcoin not just as a financial asset but as a human rights technology, one that enables freedom in parts of the world where traditional banking is weaponized against citizens.

Why the Human Rights Foundation Cares About Crypto

The Human Rights Foundation, It’s an advocacy organization that works to protect civil liberties in closed societies. So why is it promoting Bitcoin? Because it’s already seen it work.

Back in 2013, as Ukraine erupted in protests against former president Viktor Yanukovych, HRF began to see Bitcoin’s potential. Protesters needed a way to fund operations, coordinate support, and sidestep financial blockades. Traditional banks weren’t reliable but Bitcoin was. That early experience cemented HRF’s ongoing advocacy for Bitcoin as a tool for financial empowerment.

More Than Just Money

In his talk, Gladstein framed Bitcoin as more than just programmable money. It’s a lifeline for those under authoritarian rule. “Fiat systems,” he explained, can be paused, frozen, or manipulated. Bitcoin can’t. That, he said, changes the power dynamic.

This vision of crypto as a check on tyranny aligns with HRF’s broader mission: protecting civil liberties and promoting freedom where it's under threat.

Final Thought

While Bitcoin is often debated in the context of markets and regulation, its deeper value lies in what it enables: choice, privacy, and resistance in places where those things are scarce. The Human Rights Foundation’s push to frame Bitcoin as a human rights tool reminds us that for millions, it’s about surviving. As global politics shift and digital surveillance expands, Bitcoin’s neutral, open design might prove more powerful than anyone expected.