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Becca Monaghan
Apr 06, 2022
Matt Hancock explains cryptocurrency in front of fake fire screensaver
Twitter
Matt Hancock shared a clip of himself explaining cryptocurrency with a backdrop of a fireplace screensaver – and people were confused.
The clip comes as Rishi Sunak announced a shock new direction into cryptocurrency with a HM Treasury NFT.
The official account tweeted on Monday: "Chancellor @RishiSunak has asked @RoyalMintUK to create an NFT to be issued by the summer. This decision shows the forward-looking approach we are determined to take towards cryptoassets in the UK."
Now Hancock has taken to the scene with claims that the online currency is a "force for good" and will "make financial systems more transparent and reduce crime."
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Speaking at the London Crypto Club, he said: "Cryptocurrencies are a force for good in the world. Bad people are going to use all sorts of currencies and have since currencies were invented.
"That is also true of cryptocurrencies. But the advantage of a currency that is based on the blockchain is that if you get the regulatory piece right, then you get more transparency, not less, and the FBI have recently proved this in the states, which was excellent," said Hancock.
"So when it comes to things like sanctions, you can see the flow of money. And of course, there are dark corners that make this more challenging, but the mass market is a force for good, and so, there is a need to be making this argument."
If we get the regulation right crypto will not only accelerate growth but make financial systems more transparent and reduce crime\n\nWe must understand and harness the potential of new technologies, not fear and avoid their disruptive power\n\nMy comments to the London Crypto Clubpic.twitter.com/bTn3agfgP6— Matt Hancock (@Matt Hancock) 1649159698
As you can probably imagine, the jokes wrote themselves. Twitter users turned to the platform and the roasts, jokes and memes rolled in.
One humoured, "The visual definition of substance: Matt Hancock babbling about Crypto in front of a video of a burning log"
While another jested: "Perhaps it’s because he can’t afford actual heating? Another weird film from this utter weirdo."
Matt Hancock becoming a crypto bro was inevitable in his character archttps://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Nadine Batchelor-Hunt (@Nadine Batchelor-Hunt) 1649159873
The latest plan to make brexit a success, finally:\n\nThe UK is going to tilt hard at crypto.\n\nThis is a bit of a surprise tbh, now is exactly the right time of year to get into tulip bulbs ...https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Carter Blunt (@Carter Blunt) 1649183944
Matt Hancock there, speaking from Hell. https://twitter.com/matthancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Sophia Sleigh (@Sophia Sleigh) 1649164248
The average household uses 242kwh of electricity a month. \nA single bitcoin transaction uses 1,173kwh of electricity. \nAt a time when we need greater energy security to meet demand, that's a lot of electric logs to be throwing on the fire...https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Chris Skidmore (@Chris Skidmore) 1649164088
In case you missed it, Matt Hancock gave a speech with a visual of the government's handling of the pandemic playing over his shoulder.https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Otto English (@Otto English) 1649197558
Try to get your heads around the absurdity of the assertion that *crypto will increase transparency* \n\nYou will begin to realise the Orwellian times we are living in.https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Elinor Elliot (@Elinor Elliot) 1649183667
Cryptocurrency and climate summed up by a bloke speaking to the "Crypto CLUB" in a darkened room with an video of an open fire behind him.....https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Jim McQuaid \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83d\ude37 \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa #COVIDisAirborne (@Jim McQuaid \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83d\ude37 \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa #COVIDisAirborne) 1649228708
Points for the visual metaphor of the planet burning in the background. https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— giles dring (@giles dring) 1649225613
This inadequate whose incompetence oversaw tens of thousands of excess deaths from Covid as Health secretary is this week having a bash at being an expert in cryptocurrency.https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Sam's friend \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Sam's friend \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1649201333
Thought he was on fire for a second but he's way too wet to catch light.https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— Miss Anthropy (@Miss Anthropy) 1649195178
A visual representation of what happened to Matt's career in the background.https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/1511311432071237632\u00a0\u2026— MC Dev \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa #FBPE #FBPPR #RejoinEU #GTTO (@MC Dev \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddfa #FBPE #FBPPR #RejoinEU #GTTO) 1649228467
Ouch.
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