Polymarket Bettors Predict Trump Pardon for Ross Ulbricht
Trump’s Campaign Promise
During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised to pardon Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the dark web marketplace Silk Road, if he were elected. Ulbricht was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2015 for his role in the operation of the marketplace.
Polymarket Contract
A Polymarket contract, which is a type of decentralized prediction market, was created asking who Trump would pardon in his first 100 days in office. The contract shot up to 99% after posts on X from Elon Musk and Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee, indicated that a pardon for Ulbricht was in the works.
Confirmation of Pardon
Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee, tweeted that Trump’s staff had confirmed to her that a pardon for Ulbricht would be issued late tonight or tomorrow morning.
Support for Ulbricht
Supporters of Ulbricht argue that his sentence was disproportionately long for the crime. Trump’s promise to pardon Ulbricht has been met with enthusiasm from the cryptocurrency community, with many seeing it as a symbol of his commitment to reducing prison sentences for non-violent drug offenders.
Other Pardon Candidates
Polymarket bettors are also giving a 32% chance of a pardon taking place in the first 100 days for Roger Ver, an early bitcoin investor and bitcoin cash advocate, who was indicted for tax fraud last April.
Crypto Executive Order
Despite crypto playing a prominent part of Trump’s campaign, Polymarket bettors are only giving a 43% chance of a crypto executive order, regarding the use, trading, or legal status of digital assets, happening in the first week.
Conclusion
The pardon of Ross Ulbricht would be a significant move by Trump, and one that would likely be met with enthusiasm from the cryptocurrency community. While it remains to be seen whether the pardon will actually take place, the fact that Polymarket bettors are so confident in its likelihood suggests that there is a strong possibility that it will happen.
FAQs
Q: Who is Ross Ulbricht?
A: Ross Ulbricht is the founder of the dark web marketplace Silk Road, which was shut down by law enforcement in 2013. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2015 for his role in the operation of the marketplace.
Q: What did Trump promise to do for Ulbricht?
A: During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to pardon Ross Ulbricht if he were elected. He also promised to commute Ulbricht’s sentence to a sentence of time served, which would have allowed him to be released from prison.
Q: Why is there a Polymarket contract predicting a pardon for Ulbricht?
A: The Polymarket contract was created to predict who Trump would pardon in his first 100 days in office. The contract shot up to 99% after posts on X from Elon Musk and Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian National Committee, indicated that a pardon for Ulbricht was in the works.
Q: What is the significance of a pardon for Ulbricht?
A: A pardon for Ulbricht would be a significant move by Trump, and one that would likely be met with enthusiasm from the cryptocurrency community. It would also be a symbol of his commitment to reducing prison sentences for non-violent drug offenders.
Q: Are there other pardon candidates besides Ulbricht?
A: Yes, Polymarket bettors are also giving a 32% chance of a pardon taking place in the first 100 days for Roger Ver, an early bitcoin investor and bitcoin cash advocate, who was indicted for tax fraud last April.
Q: What is the likelihood of a crypto executive order taking place in the first week?
A: Despite crypto playing a prominent part of Trump’s campaign, Polymarket bettors are only giving a 43% chance of a crypto executive order, regarding the use, trading, or legal status of digital assets, happening in the first week.
