Montenegro Grants Vitalik Citizenship as Part of Plan to Promote Its Blockchain Hub

The small southeastern European nation is beginning to make sense of the murky waters of blockchain regulation by granting citizenship to an Ethereum co-founder.

The government of Montenegro has reportedly begun fulfilling its promise to become a hub for blockchain innovation by making Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin its newest citizen.

Montenegrin news outlet RTCB reported that Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić proposed that Buterin receive the privilege, helping the southeastern European country’s efforts to become a hub for blockchain innovation.

There appears to have been no official statement, but the photo was reportedly shared by the country’s Minister of Finance and Social Welfare, Milojko Spajić, when Buterin received his passport.

Montenegro hosted the Ethereum co-founder at a roundtable discussion hosted by Minister Spajić on April 7, Future Now!. Buterin, Ethereum researcher Vlad Zamfir, University of Memphis law professor Boris Mamlyk, and Minister Spajić discussed the legality of blockchain identities, smart contracts in government, and other topics.

According to local news outlet Mina, during a meeting on April 4, Prime Minister Krivokapić, Buterin and several other government officials also discussed Montenegro’s options regarding the blockchain industry. One important aspect he mentioned was how to regulate cryptocurrencies for its citizens.

Minister Spajić said he hopes his country will crack down on criminals in the industry, but believes fairness will spur growth and “reduce the grey economy in all areas.” He added:

“Montenegro strives to become an innovation center for blockchain technology, focusing on all the advantages of a legitimate industry and will bring attractive regulations.”

The Montenegrin government is now beginning to delve into the complex regulatory issues that come with integrating blockchain technology into various systems.

At the Future Now! event, the discussion focused on how people can legally use blockchain to create communities and legally verify their identities to prevent identity theft. Mamlyk said that decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) could issue DAO tokens to allow people to prove their membership while protecting their privacy. However, Buterin said that "there is no magic single principle" that can be used to deal with bad actors.

When asked if Black Mountain should allow companies to register as DAOs, Buterin mentioned that Wyoming recognizes DAOs as legal entities. He said this application of decentralized governance is a “good first step” and could be “a good starting point” for Black Mountain.