And this is not the first time this happens. The exact same thing happened to PornHub - their premium subscription model got cancelled due to Visa/MC not liking some "questionable" content. Even though PH purged 60% of its content (basically every video uploaded from an unverified account), they are to this day still not accepting CC - probably as they are still banned. Instead they accept Crypto and SEPA payments in the EU.

This makes a strong case for Bitcoin - no matter if you consider it a ponzi scheme, or the BTC price to be overinflated, you will not be able to deny it is truly censorship free.

It's a strong case for, perhaps, Algorand[1], but Bitcoin can no longer play this role properly. Transactions are too difficult and slow and the network is too expensive. And Lightning is not a real solution.

1. Specifically a stablecoin running on the network

Stablecoins are not decentral and would suffer the exact same censorability as Visa/MC. That does not improve the situation.

Why is Lightning not a solution, care to elaborate?

It's basically unused and difficult for even motivated users to set up. If it was going to work, it would have been successful by now.

Or a legally protected right to transact, ideally with cash-equivalent anonymity. I’d take either one.

Both require repealing AML/CFT laws. But maybe that's the way and we should focus on the underlying crime instead..

Bitcoin (and most other crypto) unintentionally strikes an interesting balance here. Through the ability to trace blockchain transactions and impose KYC laws on exchanges you can in principle figure out who most money belongs to. That puts you in a position where if A wants to send B money you can't prevent that, but you can go after either A or B. That gives you freedom of payment, but after the fact you can still go after people laundering money or financing terrorism

Until the bank closes your account because it's deemed "high risk" and they're absolutely allowed to do that without explanations.

I'm feeling a little maximalist about this: How about both?

The digital euro will be released in the coming years. It allows for digital offline transfers.

We have privacy focused crypto systems like Monero, but the EU effectively banned them last year through "money laundering" laws, and they're moving to completely ban them within the next few years.

https://www.bitcoinsensus.com/news/altcoins/eu-to-restrict-m...

One that is anti-consumer when compared to the CC system.