I think we need to distinguish between different types of backed assets.
I don't know much about USDC, thought smart people seem to like it. Its reputation is far beyond USDT (which I don't think is worth zero).
Paxos Trust and NYDFS seem to have a good thing going. USDP (and PAXG) look very reassuring. I am less sure that I would identify forged cash in bills. I think it would be a lot harder. Right now, I can't really say that money in my fiat bank accounts would be safer than︀ money stored with Paxos.
Part of the reason that I dislike Gensler style regulatory monopoly,︁ is that it diminishes the reputation of good regulators. A good regulator doesn't need to︂ rely on state violence, a good regulator will be an asset for each member. Many︃ people trust the Michelin ratings for restaurants, they don't need guns or jails to protect︄ their reputation.
But, it is time for some humility.
@azb1 was right to start this︅ thread with a subject that, at the time, seemed unnecessarily alarmist to me.
@azb1 I am sorry for doubting you.
I am extremely surprised about the FTX contagion. It should︆ not have been possible. I really hope that the inevitable legal advice to say nothing︇ doesn't stop SBF and others from coming clean and explaining how they fell into this︈ whole fiasco. I do hope that everyone who wants to withdraw from FTX can do,︉ promptly, and I also hope that it survives. I hope that volume picks back up︊ and that the FTT buybacks support a decent price (whatever that is). I don't think︋ that Alameda was funded by financially insecure over-leveraged pensioners and if it goes under that's︌ a good lesson for future investors.
Further, I think this is a very good moment︍ for legal systems for allow client deposits to be ringfenced. Coinbase got a a lot︎ of criticism for highlighting this problem, but it was not their doing. It has been️ created at a political level. One of the reasons that the Cayman Islands are trusted with so many assets, is their protected cell structures.