Wikimedia Announces an End to Crypto Donations after a 3-Month Debate

Corporations have also responded to demands for a move away from Proof-of-Work cryptos.

Over the weekend, Wikimedia, the non-profit organization behind Wikipedia, announced an end to accepting crypto donations.

The decision comes in response to Requests for comment/Stop accepting cryptocurrency donations.

According to Wikimedia,

“A little under 400 users participated in the voting and discussion concerning the proposition that the Wikimedia Foundation stop accepting cryptocurrency donations.”

The request for comment was open from January 10, 2022, to April 12, 2022.

Wikimedia noted that arguments in favor of a ban included,

“Issues of environmental sustainability, that accepting cryptocurrencies constitutes implicit endorsement of the issues surrounding cryptocurrencies, and community issues with the risk of the movement’s reputation for accepting cryptocurrencies.”

Common arguments in opposition to a ban included,

“The existence of less energy-intensive cryptocurrencies (proof-of-stake), that cryptocurrencies provide safer ways to donate and engage in finance for people in oppressive countries, and that fiat currencies also have issues with environmental sustainability.”

A total of 232 users, accounting for 71.17% of the total vote, voted in support of the proposal.

The decision follows news of the Mozilla Foundation ceasing to accept Proof-of-Work crypto donations.

In response to a backlash over Mozilla’s position on cryptos, Mozilla updated its policy on Crypto donations.

In April, Mozilla took to Twitter, sharing its updated policy.

An update to our policy on accepting cryptocurrency donations.

We got it wrong, we heard you, and we’ve evolved. https://t.co/0bSThVJsCC

— Mozilla (@mozilla) April 7, 2022

According to the revised policy on crypto donations,

• Mozilla will no longer accept ‘proof-of-work’ cryptocurrencies, which are more energy-intensive.
• Mozilla will accept ‘proof-of-stake’ cryptocurrencies, which are less energy-intensive, and will develop and share a list of cryptocurrencies we accept by the end of Q2 2022.