The Human Rights Basis (HRF) unveiled the Finney Freedom Prize on Bitcoin’s fourth halving day to have fun the flagship crypto for enabling better monetary freedom for the world.
The award is designed to honor vital world achievements in Bitcoin and human rights, reflecting Finney’s imaginative and prescient of utilizing expertise as a instrument for liberation.
The inaugural Finney Freedom Prize was awarded posthumously to Hal Finney, recognizing his pioneering work throughout Bitcoin’s first halving period from 2009 to 2012. Finney’s widow, Fran Finney, who accepted the award on his behalf, selected to donate the prize to charity and stated:
“We consider this prize will guarantee Hal’s legacy endures, inspiring future generations to discover and broaden using Bitcoin as a instrument for reaching private and collective freedom.”
Finney, who succumbed to ALS in 2014, was a staunch advocate for civil liberties and a key determine within the early growth of Bitcoin. He was the primary particular person, after Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, to function the software program and partake in Bitcoin transactions.
110-year legacy
The Finney Freedom Prize will likely be distributed each 4 years on subsequent Bitcoin halving days, with a complete of 28 awards slated over the subsequent 110 years. The initiative is supported by a 33 BTC fund established by HRF.
Laureates will likely be acknowledged for his or her contributions to Bitcoin and human rights inside particular halving durations and can obtain a financial prize of 1 Bitcoin (BTC) together with a bodily award.
Nominations and picks for future laureates will likely be managed by the Genesis Committee, composed of notable figures within the Bitcoin neighborhood, together with Farida Nabourema, Lisa Neigut, and Obi Nwosu, amongst others.
The committee will consider candidates primarily based on their instructional efforts about Bitcoin, contributions to its expertise, promotion of decentralization, and efforts to reinforce Bitcoin’s accessibility, notably underneath oppressive regimes.
, with 1 BTC allotted for every award over the remaining halving occasions. Hal Finney’s Bitcoin will likely be donated to charity as directed by his widow, Fran Finney, who stated:
