Montenegro grants Vitalik citizenship as part of plans to promote it as a blockchain hub

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

Montenegrin news outlet RTCB reported that Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić proposed granting Buterin the privilege to help the southeastern European country in its efforts to become a blockchain innovation hub.

There appears to be no official statement, but the photo was reportedly shared by the country's Finance and Social Welfare Minister Milojko Spajić as Buterin received the passport.

On April 7th, Montenegro held a round table discussion Future Now hosted by Minister Spajić! Hosted the Ethereum co-founder on the Internet. Buterin, ethereum researcher Vlad Zamfir, University of Memphis law professor Boris Mamlyk, and Minister Spajić discussed the legality of blockchain identity, smart contracts in government, and other topics.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Krivokapić, Buterin, and several other government officials also discussed Montenegrin’s options for the blockchain industry during a meeting on April 4, local news outlet Mina reported. One important aspect he mentioned is how cryptocurrencies are regulated for their citizens.

Minister Spajić said he wanted his country to crack down on criminals in the industry, but believed that fairness would spur growth and "reduce the gray economy in all sectors". He added:

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

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

At the Future Now! event, discussions focused on how people can legally use blockchain to create communities and legally verify their identities to prevent identity theft. Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) could issue DAO tokens that allow people to prove their membership while protecting their privacy, Mamlyk said. However, Buterin said, "there's no magic one-liner" that can be used against bad guys.

Asked whether Montenegro should allow companies to register as DAOs, Buterin mentioned that Wyoming recognizes DAOs as legal entities. This application of decentralized governance is a “good first step” and could be “a good starting point” for Montenegro, he said.

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