Crypto-Anarchism: From Manifesto to Lifestyle 

Crypto-anarchism might sound like something pulled from an adventure novel with secret codes, digital rebels, and a world where the state suppresses even the smallest expression of free will. However, this isn’t fiction. It’s a way of life that emerged from late 1980s ideals, experienced its share of ups and downs, and today has found new momentum. 

The Beginning: Timothy May’s Ghost of Freedom

It all began with Timothy K. May, a man who likely spent a bit too much time reading dystopian novels while drinking coffee on his ranch in Santa Cruz. 

In 1988, he penned The Crypto Anarchist Manifesto, a text that came across as part prophecy, part playful jab at Karl Marx. 

A specter is haunting the modern world, the specter of crypto anarchy,

he wrote, hinting that technology was about to hand people the kind of anonymity governments couldn’t even begin to anticipate.

May imagined a world where two people could exchange messages, make deals, and even sign contracts without revealing their identities. This wasn’t just a technical prediction. It was a bold statement. 

He wrote about “untraceable networks,” where encrypted data packets would bounce between servers like rabbits evading hunters, leaving governments in the dust. The remarkable part is that in 1988, when most people were still listening to the screech of a dial-up modem, May was already sketching a future where privacy would become a cornerstone of the tech revolution.

His ideas resonated with a group of like-minded individuals, the cypherpunks, who gathered for their first meeting in Palo Alto in 1992. There, May read his manifesto aloud. It was one of those rare moments when a group of geeks enthusiastically discussed not just code, but the philosophy of freedom. They believed cryptography wasn’t just heavy-duty math. It was a tool for reclaiming control from governments and corporations. 

And along the way, they didn’t mind having some fun outsmarting Big Brother.

Sadly, Timothy May passed away in December 2018. Nevertheless, his Manifesto still inspires thousands of people to stand up for their right to control their personal data.

You might also like: Adam Back: The Cypherpunk and Blockstream CEO

Ten Years Ago: Dreams of a Digital Utopia

Let’s go back to the mid-2010s, a time when crypto-anarchism had moved beyond theory but had not yet become a practical reality for most people.

Bitcoin, launched in 2009 by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto, became the first real-world expression of May’s ideas. It was a currency created not by a bank, but by a network of computers. Anyone could participate permissionlessly, as long as they followed the shared rule of consensus.  

For crypto-anarchists and cypherpunks, this was a moment of triumph: “This is it, the future without intermediaries!”

Back then, crypto-anarchists saw blockchain not just as a financial tool, but as a new kind of ideology. They dreamed of decentralized communities where state power would gradually dissolve, like sugar melting in a cup of hot tea. 

Their first symbol was the darknet marketplace Silk Road, where Bitcoin became the official payment method. At the same time, it quickly turned into a major concern for authorities. Crypto-anarchists were convinced that darknet vendors were beyond the reach of law enforcement, but the FBI shut down the platform in 2013. 

It became clear that freedom comes at a cost, and sometimes that cost is prison time for the creators of such platforms.

Another self-proclaimed crypto-anarchist, eccentric millionaire John McAfee, embodied the spirit of financial and personal freedom during those years. He was fully committed to the idea of decentralization while amassing a fortune through crypto. McAfee challenged the system with a smile and a cocktail of banned substances in his bloodstream. His life was a blend of rebellion and chaos, from evading authorities to making bold declarations that cryptocurrency would set humanity free. He became a rock star of crypto-anarchism: flamboyant, polarizing, and slightly unhinged like Freddie Mercury.

Although McAfee’s story came to an end, the crypto-anarchist movement is still represented by influential figures such as libertarian advocate Erik Voorhees and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

However, not all names were in the spotlight. Many crypto-anarchists worked quietly in their basements, using PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) to encrypt their messages and discussing ways to get around new surveillance laws on online forums. They saw themselves as pioneers of a digital frontier, where free speech and anonymity mattered more than comfort or a stable but uninspiring career.

It was a time of romanticism. Blockchain appeared to hold the answer to every question, while the state was seen as a dinosaur nearing extinction.

For surprising facts about the creator of the first cryptocurrency, take a look at our article: If Satoshi Returns: What Could It Mean for Bitcoin?

Today: Crypto-Anarchism as a Lifestyle

Crypto-anarchism is no longer the dream of eccentric geeks. It has become a lifestyle for those who are ready to challenge the system without ever stepping outside their homes.

Modern crypto-anarchists are not the bearded hackers and '90s cypherpunks like David Lee Chaum. Today, they include a diverse range of people, from millennials with MacBooks to parents teaching their children how to use crypto wallets. 

So what unites them? 

A shared desire to live by their own rules, where cryptography and decentralization are tools for freedom.

The crypto-anarchist of today doesn’t need to hide in the darknet. They might be sitting in a coffee shop, buying a slice of cheesecake with Bitcoin, or chatting in Discord about how to set up a home node to support privacy cryptocurrencies. 

This is a lifestyle where protocols like Tornado Cash and other decentralized tools have become part of a broader philosophy of resistance. 

“Why trust banks when I can stay in control?” That’s their guiding principle. And after countless data breach scandals, who can blame them?

Consider the Paralelní Polis community in Prague. These individuals don’t just talk about crypto-anarchism—they live it in practice. 

At their Institute of Cryptoanarchy, you’ll find everything from open lectures on blockchain basics to cafés that accept only cryptocurrency. Their mission is to reject fiat currency and build a parallel world where the state is seen as a minor inconvenience in the background. 

Sounds radical? Maybe. 

But when you see the sense of satisfaction they get from securely sending Monero to friends and colleagues around the world, you realize this isn’t a utopian dream—it’s reality.

Modern crypto-anarchists are also exploring new forms of communication. They use encrypted messaging apps like Signal and Matrix to keep their conversations away from prying eyes. 

There is also a growing trend toward “network states,” virtual communities where people unite around shared values rather than geographic boundaries. 

One of the modern thinkers behind this idea is Balaji Srinivasan. He argues that the internet is a new frontier where free societies can be created without coercion or state control. It might sound like a fantasy straight out of The Matrix, but for them, it is already a functioning reality.

If you want to learn more about the origin of the term “cypherpunk,” read our article: Popular Crypto Slang Terms

The Evolution of Crypto-Anarchism: From Idealism to Pragmatism

If May saw crypto-anarchism in 1988 as a revolution, today, it has become more of an evolution.

Early cypherpunks dreamed of the total collapse of the state, but modern followers recognize that the system is not going away—at least not for now. 

Instead, they are creating parallel spaces—small islands of freedom where people can live by their own rules. This is no longer about bombs and barricades. It is about quiet resistance through code and crypto wallets.

At the heart of this lifestyle is the blockchain. Crypto-anarchists even avoid centralized crypto exchanges, staying loyal to the core principles of the original cypherpunks, who built this technology to promote privacy, anonymity, and decentralization. 

DAOs, or decentralized autonomous organizations, can also be considered a form of digital anarchism. Imagine a community where decisions are made through token-based voting rather than shouting at public meetings. And this is already a reality.

We covered how to build a career within a DAO in our article: Work Without Bosses: Inside the Rise of DAO Jobs

However, there is another side to the story.

As May predicted, the state is not stepping aside without a fight. 

Laws on KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements and transaction surveillance are exactly the kind of “barbed wire” May warned about. But crypto-anarchists, with their usual sense of technological cynicism, treat it with sarcasm. They can be slowed down, but not stopped. 

While authorities argue over how to regulate DeFi, these individuals are already testing the next privacy-enabled protocol.

Crypto-Anarchism Behind Every Door

Let’s not forget that crypto-anarchism is also about a certain lightness of being. In a world where governments spend billions on surveillance and media corporations know what you had for breakfast, these people simply turn on Tor and laugh. 

“Surveillance? What surveillance? I just posted a cat photo online,” they say, while sending an encrypted message.

When someone asks why they need so much privacy, the answer is simple: “Because it’s possible.”

The irony is that many of them are ordinary people. They don’t hide in bunkers or wear Guy Fawkes masks. It could be your neighbor, who watches Solidity courses instead of TV shows, or your coworker, who registered their marriage on the blockchain. 

They’re not fighting the system. They simply live as if it doesn’t exist.

They are steadily building their own counterculture, one block at a time. While governments come up with new regulations and banks grow anxious and freeze accounts, these individuals hold a simple belief: freedom is not a privilege, but a right they have claimed for themselves.

If you ever feel like joining them, start with something small. Install a privacy tool, set up a digital wallet, and try making a purchase with cryptocurrency. And who knows, maybe you’ll become part of this quiet yet stubborn movement.

As May once said, the only thing that limits us is the fences we build ourselves. And we’re already taking them down.

To explore what it’s like to live a crypto-anarchist lifestyle, read our article: Can You Really Live Off Crypto? Here’s What It Takes