Crypto’s cult of personality contradicts its decentralized mission, creating fragile systems that crumble when charismatic leaders inevitably fall.
Opinion by: Houston Morgan, head of growth and business development at ShapeShift
Crypto was never supposed to turn out like this. The promise was decentralization, self-sovereignty and the end of gatekeepers. Far too many crypto firms still worship personalities and momentum rather than implementing fair governance and structure.
The irony is stark. A movement built to eliminate central points of failure or control has repeatedly been derailed by its own leadership. The same story repeats from exchange founders being treated like visionaries to DeFi builders rigging token votes for personal gain. One person’s influence is allowed to outweigh the system. When that person falters, everything crumbles.
