Crypto for the Underground
A Soft Intro to Why Decentralized Tech Matters
For those new to Noise Protocol, we talk about hardcore, punk, and DIY music as well as cover cypherpunk topics like digital privacy, empowerment, and activism. This post is part of the latter.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and others are a form of digital currency built on top of blockchains, relatively new technology that acts like a distributed database. This article is for education only and should not be taken as financial advice. We are not advocating for anyone to take any specific action or promoting a specific token or service. The purpose of this article is to provide information on the benefits of blockchain technology for underground and marginalized communities, and to serve as a starting point for conversations or self-directed learning.
Blockchains have sparked a revolution, challenging the way we think about money, power, and technology. But many don’t realize that for those of us in underground communities—including but not limited to punk and hardcore scenes, harm reduction initiatives, mutual aid networks, and other activist spaces—crypto offers tools to maintain privacy, resist censorship, and reclaim autonomy in a digital age dominated by surveillance and gatekeepers. This isn’t about hype or “getting rich quick.” It’s about using tech to support the values we live by when most tech is co-opted by big corporations.
Though not all-encompassing, we hope to hit on a range of topics to get the conversation started. If there’s anything you want to learn more about, let us know in the comments so we can cover it in future articles.
Crypto Roots: From Cypherpunks to Today
Crypto was born in discontent. In 2008, amid the global financial crisis, an anonymous figure known as Satoshi Nakamoto published the Bitcoin whitepaper. Their vision was a peer-to-peer digital currency, one that worked outside the control of banks and governments. Bitcoin’s blockchain—a decentralized, verifiable ledger of transactions—made it possible to exchange value without middlemen, putting power back in the hands of users. It was a direct response to the failures and corruption of the traditional financial system, aiming to create a form of money that couldn’t be manipulated by central banks or eroded by inflation.
This vision resonated with Cypherpunks and others committed to privacy and digital freedom. Early adopters saw Bitcoin as more than just digital cash—it was a movement for self-sovereignty, financial inclusion, and censorship resistance. Since then, crypto has grown into a sprawling and diverse ecosystem. Bitcoin paved the way, but projects like Monero and ZCash (emphasizing privacy), and Ethereum (enabling decentralized applications and smart contracts) expanded the boundaries of what blockchain technology could achieve.
Ethereum’s launch in 2015 was a turning point, as the chain would go on to introduce decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and many more innovations. These unlocked new economic models and governance structures, empowering users to participate in financial systems without intermediaries or censorship, despite also being used or exploited for crime.
A note on crime & crypto: It’s tempting to go into a deep defense of the industry’s existence at this point. The scope of this article remains a brief introduction to blockchain and exploration of how the technology empowers individuals traditionally marginalized by large institutions. Stealing and scamming people out of their art or money is inexcusable, as it should always be in any industry. Illicit activity accounts for roughly less than half a percent of all on-chain volume (a fraction of the crime enabled by cash or major banking networks). This does not excuse the actions of liars and thieves like Sam Bankman Fried, to use a recent example, or others who are universally rejected by people in the industry aligned with the original Cypherpunk ethos. That statistic and the below activity do not undo the bad that’s been done, but hopefully offer a valuable counterpoint to highlight why blockchains exist in the first place, and their capacity for positive impact.
Beyond scams and speculation, though, crypto has repeatedly been used for social good. In 2020, during the protests in Belarus against authoritarian rule, activists turned to Bitcoin to bypass state-controlled banking systems and fundraise for detained protesters and victims of police violence. Similarly, the Human Rights Foundation has promoted Bitcoin as a tool for activists in oppressive regimes, emphasizing its role in providing financial freedom and protection from surveillance.
In 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, crypto donations surged, with over $100 million eventually raised in cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, and DOT to support humanitarian aid and military defense. Blockchain’s transparency allowed donors to track funds in real time, ensuring contributions reached the intended recipients. This showcased the power of decentralized finance to mobilize resources quickly in times of crisis.
Crypto has also played a role in addressing global inequality. Organizations like BitGive and the Pineapple Fund have distributed millions in crypto to people in need, bypassing traditional aid infrastructure and getting funds directly to recipients. Afghan women received emergency aid in crypto when the Taliban seized control and limited cash withdrawals, and Bitcoin helped fund the largest Nigerian protests in recent history. These initiatives highlight how borderless digital currencies can reach the unbanked and underserved, providing financial lifelines to those excluded from conventional systems.
These are just a handful of examples - there are many more. Crypto continues to evolve, with projects focusing on decentralized identity, secure voting systems, and digital rights. Although the mainstream narrative often fixates on market volatility, scams, and regulatory battles, the deeper story is one of innovation, resistance, and empowerment. At its core, crypto remains a tool for reclaiming agency in a world dominated by centralized powers, offering individuals the freedom to opt into systems designed around transparency, fairness, and collective ownership.
Why Crypto Matters for Underground Communities
If you’re part of a scene that thrives outside the mainstream, you’ve likely dealt with barriers: frozen accounts, deplatformed activists, or organizers targeted for their work. Crypto offers an alternative—decentralized systems where no single authority can block your access or censor your voice. Here’s why it matters:
Privacy: With the right configuration, privacy-focused platforms and wallets help protect your identity (like while fundraising or organizing), at least by keeping these activities separated from traditional systems.
Censorship Resistance: No bank or payment processor can block a peer-to-peer crypto transaction. Whether you’re crowdfunding bail funds, mutual aid projects, or harm reduction supplies, when set up properly crypto ensures the money flows directly to those who need it.
Global Accessibility: Crypto isn’t tied to any government or central bank. Whether you’re in a local punk scene or collaborating with activists across borders, crypto breaks down barriers.
Take Back Ownership: It’s about taking control and building something without relying on the system and its resources.
Getting Started: Crypto Basics for Beginners
New to crypto? Start simple. The easiest way to dip your toes in is through a centralized exchange. While centralized platforms like these pose an ownership risk (because they hold custody of tokens on a user’s behalf), they make it easy to buy, sell, and trade crypto without having to configure anything yourself. In small amounts, this is a viable way to get hands-on with some crypto features with reduced complexity. The general process will be something like:
Create an Account: Sign up with an email and password.
Verify Your Identity: Most exchanges require identification for Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance.
Secure Your Account: Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect against hacks.
Buy Crypto: Deposit some fiat currency (dollars, euros, etc.) and exchange it for crypto.
Once you’ve got crypto and feel more comfortable navigating, consider researching how to move it to a wallet—a tool that gives you full control of your funds. Options like MetaMask or hardware wallets like Ledger offer extra security and privacy.
If you’re ready to go deeper, decentralized exchanges (DEXs) let you trade directly from your wallet, bypassing middlemen entirely. While DEXs require a bit more technical know-how, they keep you in full control of your funds.
Tools to Keep You Safe and Informed
The crypto space can be overwhelming, but there are tools to help with the day to day:
Wallets: Software wallets like MetaMask or hardware wallets like Ledger protect your assets and can be more secure than leaving anything on an exchange.
Market Trackers: CoinGecko and Messari help you keep an eye on trends.
Education: Sites like Welcome Onchain, MetaMask, IQ Wiki, and CoinGecko, and offer resources on popular topics and guides for common activities or avoiding scams and phishing attempts.
News: The Defiant, The Block, Blockworks, CoinDesk, Unchained, and Cointelegraph are some reputable sources of crypto news and investigative journalism.
A Look Ahead: Crypto and the Future of Underground Movements
Crypto is more than a tool; it’s a movement. For those of us building alternative communities, it opens new possibilities. Imagine mutual aid networks using smart contracts to distribute funds transparently. Think of how decentralized technology can support banned books, zines, and media that need a censorship-resistant home; harm reduction efforts funded by unstoppable, borderless transactions.
The crypto industry is young and full of issues, the rampant speculation and rapidly evolving tech make it a playground for scams and bad actors. But at its heart, it’s about empowering individuals and communities to create systems that serve their needs, not corporate interests. Somewhere along the way, many in the industry lost the plot, so as much as the underground can use crypto to thrive, crypto needs more punks to remember why it exists: power to the people.
Join the Conversation
This is the tip of the iceberg. If you’re curious, start small. Talk to others in your community. Experiment. Learn. Like any good DIY project, crypto requires effort—but the benefits are worth it. Even if you never experiment with any cryptocurrencies, understanding the underlying technology, and the motivations for why decentralized tech is being built, can help you get a better sense of how to protect your digital privacy.
If you have questions, we’re here to help.