One of the biggest institutional headlines in the crypto world this morning has to do with a rather unusual stakeholder.
Marie Huillet at Cointelegraph reports that none other than the Mossad, Israel’s renowned espionage agency, is looking for cryptocurrency professionals.
“The candidate should have ‘in-depth technological understanding and expertise in the world of fintech, e-commerce, DEF and digital currencies,’ according to the outlined requirements,” Huillet writes.
Seeking individuals with three years of relevant experience, the Mossad, Huillet adds, is targeting crypto talent in order to pursue “systems development activities,” a rather vague category of state enterprise.
The phrase, Huillet suggests, might have to do with paying agents in the field or attracting talent to the agency.
Whatever it is, this example of institutional buy-in has unusual panache and may attract more buyers on the street to the crypto sector.
However, the Israeli interest in cryptocurrency activities comes along with recent crackdowns on the use of crypto by Israel’s enemies, such as the Israeli seizure of crypto currency accounts just weeks ago by Israeli Defense Minister Benny Ganz.
“Ganz has said that a joint security operation between the Ministry of Defense’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing and the security forces had ‘uncovered a web of electronic wallets’ thought to be tied to Hamas and its ongoing fundraising efforts, using Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies,” Huillet wrote July 9.
“Hamas, which is blacklisted as a terror group by the United States and the European Union, has long used digital currencies to circumnavigate sanctions,” wrote Omer Benjakob at Haaretz July 12. “The group uses cryptocurrencies – which are hard to trace and purportedly offer anonymity online – to raise funds and transfer them across borders using a system of digital wallets.”
How will the Mossad’s advertising influence the crypto world? Will it add to the tremendous spike in Bitcoin value this past week as the coin’s price rises above the $40,000 mark? Keep an eye out.
