Miguel Morel Discusses Launch of Arkham Intel Exchange
Miguel Morel, CEO of Arkham Intelligence, recently spoke about the company’s new data platform, Arkham Intel Exchange. During a Twitter Spaces event, Morel addressed concerns about the platform’s potential to reveal personal information. He admitted that the platform does incentivize users to “dox” certain crypto wallets, as this is the platform’s purpose. Morel explained that the community’s desire to expose fraud and protect against crises within the crypto space is the driving force behind the platform. Arkham aims to identify wallet addresses of hedge funds and uncover the individuals behind impersonation accounts. While the platform aims to benefit the community, Arkham ensures that bounties and submissions are approved to prevent abuse and requires users to obtain information from public sources.
Dox Pushback
Some participants in the event expressed concerns about the potential for Intel Exchange to expose private individuals. They worried about the accuracy of the information and the need for increased security if holdings are revealed. Crypto trader Ran Neuer raised concerns that individuals with access to crypto wallet know-your-customer information may be motivated to dox users for a reward. Neuer’s issue lies with the management of the data by Arkham rather than the system itself. This criticism comes after the company faced backlash for making customer emails publicly available through decodable referral links.
Arkham’s Vision for Identity
Identity is a crucial aspect of Arkham’s vision, as stated in their whitepaper. The company aims to link personal identity with blockchain interactions to usher in a web3 future. They believe that deanonymization is inevitable, comparing it to the transition from pseudonymous to real identity usage on the internet. Arkham sees the rise of ENS and NFT profile pictures as indicators of the eventual linking of blockchain identities to real-world identities.
Hot Take
Arkham Intel Exchange presents a controversial but potentially powerful tool for the crypto community. While concerns about privacy and security are valid, the platform’s ability to expose fraud and prevent crises within the industry can be seen as a positive development. However, strict oversight and approval processes are essential to prevent abuse and ensure that information is obtained from reliable sources. As the crypto space continues to evolve, the debate between anonymity and identity will persist, and Arkham’s platform adds an interesting dynamic to this discussion.