Newsletter Oct 9, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #93 In China, the central bank has opened a new international operations center for the digital yuan in Shanghai to expand the central bank digital currencies’ (CBDCs) role in global finance
Newsletter Oct 2, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #92 In North Korea, the totalitarian regime launched its first automated banking hotline to support account inquiries as it pushes away from cash and towards…
Announcement Oct 1, 2025 Why Bitcoin is Freedom Money: HRF in the Journal of Democracy The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to share “Why Bitcoin is Freedom Money,” a new essay by HRF Chief Strategy Officer Alex Gladstein, published in the Journal of Democracy.
Newsletter Sep 25, 2025 Financial Freedom Report #91 In Vietnam, the central bank deactivated more than 86 million bank accounts on Sept. 1, erasing nearly half the country’s financial accounts. The move is part of a national push for mandatory biometric ID, framed by…
Newsletter Sep 18, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #90 In Thailand, the central bank froze more than 3 million Thai bank accounts and imposed daily transfer limits in a bid to reduce online scams. The heavy-handed approach offers a glimpse into how broad state financial measures can unintentionally lead…
Newsletter Sep 11, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #89 In Russia, the Kremlin is increasing efforts to push citizens onto its new state-run messenger app, Max. Voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram have been disabled, and new legislation requires all new phones to come with Max pre-installed. But the…
Newsletter Sep 4, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #88 In Georgia, a Tbilisi court froze the bank accounts of seven major Georgian NGOs, accusing them of “sabotage” and “financing” protests under charges made possible by the country’s recently enacted…
Press Release Aug 28, 2025 HRF Financial Freedom program named finalist for Templeton Freedom Award The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is honored to announce that its Financial Freedom program has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Templeton Freedom Award, presented annually by Atlas Network.
Newsletter Aug 28, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #87 In Russia, Vladimir Putin signed a new law allowing police to freeze citizens’ bank accounts for up to 10 days without a court order. While framed as an anti-fraud measure, the law gives police a fast and…
Newsletter Aug 21, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #86 In Cuba, the peso’s parallel market rate increased to 400 pesos per US dollar, a record low reflecting a 94% devaluation in just a few years. High inflation, stagnant wages
Newsletter Aug 14, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #85 In Bolivia, 25% inflation has sent trust in the boliviano falling and pushed more individuals toward Bitcoin for daily transactions and savings. Since unbanning digital assets…
Newsletter Aug 7, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #84 Last week, El Salvador’s Congress approved constitutional changes allowing unlimited presidential reelections that would allow for President Nayib Bukele to run indefinitely….
Blog Post Jul 31, 2025 Tracking CBDCs before they track you Nicholas Anthony Policymakers around the world have become consumed with the idea of launching central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs. Prior to 2019, only a small handful of central banks were exploring this idea. Yet, today,…
Newsletter Jul 31, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #83 A Russian court sentenced Dmitry Marsov, a father of five, to three years in prison for donating merely $20 to Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, an act now considered terrorism…
Newsletter Jul 24, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #82 The Hungarian government has enacted one of the most repressive digital asset laws in Europe. As of July 1, trading Bitcoin on an unauthorized platform could…
Newsletter Jul 17, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #81 In Venezuela, the bolívar is depreciating by 13% each month, rapidly eroding the wages and savings of Venezuelans
Newsletter Jul 10, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #80 In the wake of the latest conflict with Israel, Iran has orchestrated a domestic crackdown, detaining more than 1,000 people, killing dozens, and targeting minority communities and activists.
Newsletter Jul 3, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #79 This week, we begin in Kenya, where police and pro-government goons attacked peaceful demonstrators and violently suppressed June 25 marches, which marked the anniversary of last year’s anti-tax bill protests and honored the memory of at least 60 people killed then.
Newsletter Jun 26, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #78 Iran’s largest digital asset exchange, Nobitex, was hit by a cyberattack in which $90 million in digital assets were intentionally drained and destroyed.
Newsletter Jun 19, 2025 HRF’s Weekly Financial Freedom Report #77 We begin this week in El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele’s ruling party officially passed a sweeping “foreign agents” law.